


I Can't Thank You Enough

by Arel_Rhink



Category: Rhett & Link, rhink - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-18 06:42:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7303684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arel_Rhink/pseuds/Arel_Rhink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where Link finds himself entranced by a homeless musician. (Rhett and Link have not met prior to this fic.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The air was crisp and cool that mid-winter day, and Link was on his daily visit to the city park. He loved the kiosks selling their wares, the bustling crowd, the delicious smells emanating from the food trucks, and the glistening pond (even if it was frozen up). Since he was a regular visitor, he had become friendly with most of the vendors, and even the group of homeless people who clustered together on the bridge to keep warm. He always liked helping them out in some way or another, such as giving them his gloves, or bringing them McDonald’s. Many familiar faces greeted Link with a warm smile. Usually, he’d jump right into greeting them back, but that day, however, had been a little rough for him since work was a little hectic. Teaching nine year-olds music isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world – especially when some of them start sword-fighting with their recorders, leaving one heck of an aftermath in the music room. It took Link all day to put his classroom back in order, leaving him exhausted. He ordered a hot chocolate from one of the food trucks and wandered through the park with it, hoping it would boost his spirits.

After admiring the view of the lake and watching in amusement as the kids played Frisbee, Link was starting to feel a little better. He even started hearing faint guitar music playing in the distance. As he kept wandering aimlessly about the park, he could swear the music was getting louder. That music wasn’t from his imagination, and Link was determined to find out where it was coming from. He felt like he was moving in circles trying to locate the source of the sweet melody. He broadened his search to the borders of the park, tracing the brick and wrought-iron fences. He was soon able to better acquaint himself with the tune. It was a somber melody. It was played so sweetly and felt almost uncharacteristic for a guitar’s typical rhythmic voice. The strumming got louder as he approached a tall oak tree near the back of the park. He slowly stepped closer, craning his neck to see if anyone was behind it. The figure before him was quite a sight to behold, and Link was not expecting the song to come from someone like this.

The guitarist was quite tall – at least half a foot taller than Link. His messy, dirty-blonde hair curled over his forehead, nearly covering his prominent, hooded eyes. His clothes were stained and muddy from his old hoodie all the way down to the ends of his tattered skinny jeans. His shaggy beard reflected the evening sunset, giving his face a glowing effect. The way his long fingers effortlessly brushed the coated strings sent chills throughout Link’s body, and he could even feel heat rising to his cheeks. He admired the guitarist as his head swayed to the rhythm as though he was pouring his heart and soul through his instrument. His defined eyebrows furrowed as he closed his eyes, pushing his emotions even further. Link felt like his heart could just stop right there. He had never heard music as beautiful and heart-wrenching as the notes that were coming from this young and mesmerizing guitarist.

One would think a musician like him would place himself where people would listen to him and give him money for tips. Instead, he was way out here away from anything and everything, with nothing but the tree to listen to his singing guitar. It boggled Link’s mind as to why this homeless man wouldn’t use his talents to gain people’s sympathy like any other would. With the talent this man had, he could easily build a foundation for himself.

Link stepped even closer, feeling as if he’s under a spell. The shuffling in his feet suddenly caught the attention of the guitarist, who snapped his head in Link’s direction as his hands froze in their positions. His eyes grew wide like a deer caught in headlights, panic written all over his bearded face. His cheeks quickly gained a reddish hue as he remained breathless and motionless. All Link could do was keep still and wait for a response. Before either of them could blink, the man ran off in a split second, leaving Link frozen and speechless. His head was filling with questions begging to be answered, but there was one question that rang loudest.

Who was this man?

Link would do anything to find out.

He had to see him again.

Link could not wait for the final dismissal bell to free him from work. He had stayed up nearly all night thinking about that man in the park, and grew more eager by the minute to find the prodigy again. He practically ran to the park he was so excited. He blushed at the very second he heard that guitar singing its song. It felt like the tune was a siren calling his name, beckoning him nearer. His feet moved faster in excitement and his anticipation increased by the second. He made his way to that big oak tree again, hoping that was the man’s usual spot. Link’s nerves twisted as he recognized the figure once again standing against the bark. Link knew that just approaching the musician would intimidate him like yesterday, and he wanted his interaction with the stranger to last – even if it just meant admiring him from further away.

He snuck his way to a nearby tree, where Link cautiously stood watch. The view he had was perfect for him to watch those long, confident fingers as they strummed the coated strings of that beaten up acoustic. He smiled in awe whenever the man expressed physical enthusiasm when playing… with the scrunching of his eyelids, the fluid animation of the arches of his brows, and the way his head swayed into the melody like a bow on a viola. There were a couple times, Link could swear the man shed a tear or two during his performance.

The longer Link stayed, he realized the melody would change depending on what was occurring before them, almost like it was a soundtrack in a movie supporting the plot. The chords were more cheerful and bouncy as children passed in a game of tag, and the key would transition to a sweeter melody when couples passed by hand in hand. The second he was alone, the guitarist’s melody became more sullen, taking a minor key and a slower tempo that made Link’s heart ache.

Before Link knew it, it had become very late. People were leaving and the sun was setting. He watched the musician holster his guitar to his back with the sleeves of his red hoodie, leaving him to face the cold in just his grey v-neck tee. As he started to mosey away, Link’s nerves bunched up in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t let him go again. Not this time. Not without at least saying something to this inspiring soul. Without another thought, Link sprinted towards the scruffy man. He finally leapt forward, clutching the taller man’s shoulder to keep him from running. The sudden contact startled the guitarist, bringing redness to his face. His eyes immediately locked onto Link’s, making the smaller man’s heart skip a beat. Link felt his soul being captured by that piercing gaze, and he had become so lost he couldn’t make even the smallest sound escape his lips. After the extensive eye contact subsided, the blonde shook Link’s hand off his shoulder and ran off without a word. For a moment, Link was still paralyzed. He quickly called out to the man, shouting for him to wait. The man was hesitant, but soon stopped running, allowing Link to catch up to him.

Link took a brief moment to collect himself after running after him. The musician turned slightly to get the smallest glance of the shorter man. Link moved a bit more slowly towards the man before him, wanting to get another look at the stranger’s face before he finally spoke.

“Who are you?” Link asked softly, still nervous about being around him. The man lets the silence ring in their ears before answering.

“Rhett,” the man strained through his hidden lips with uncertainty, as though he had almost forgotten what his name was.

“Rhett…” Link repeated, trying to engrave the name into his memory. “Rhett I –” Before he could finish his sentence, Rhett ran off yet again, leaving Link alone in the middle of the park.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day was a Saturday, so Link headed over to the park right after eating breakfast, bringing his teaching recorder with him. He was hoping he might beat Rhett to his tree so he could surprise him with a song of his own when he got there. He was so excited about his idea that he had almost forgotten to get dressed that morning. He had spent nearly all night coming up with the perfect melody to impress Rhett with, and he was confident he could serenade him just as Rhett had done for him.

Link rushed his way to the park, greeting the few vendors who were opening up shop with the brightest smile he’d had in a while. He couldn’t linger too long or he might miss his chance to occupy his ideal spot. To his surprise, Rhett was already there, strumming away. Startled and a little disheartened, Link stopped dead in his tracks wondering how he could make this work for him. He eventually inched closer to the oak tree with his recorder clutched tightly in his now clammy hands. He was careful not to let himself be seen as he slowly pushed his back against the bark of the thick trunk. Rhett’s guitar playing was fortunately able to calm his nerves a bit, but it didn’t chase away his troubled mind. Link looked up towards the thick grey clouds in the pale, foggy sky as he listened carefully to the key and timing coming from the opposite side of the trunk.

Once he got a hold on Rhett’s melody, he slowly lifted his recorder to his lips and joined in seamlessly with a softly rising crescendo. His counter-melody carried Rhett’s strumming into a stronger, more emotional state. Link felt his weight lightening as his feet seemed to rise from the cold, hard soil. Completely succumbed to the music, Link allowed his imagination to run wild. It didn’t take long for the clouds to form the taller, blonde musician that had been commandeering every one of Link’s thoughts for days. The two figures floated together into a gentle embrace. The smaller man nuzzled into the blonde’s left shoulder as the taller man ran his callused, yet gentle fingertips across his back as if Link himself was the guitar.

The dream faded to a silence, waking Link from his trance. His eyes fluttered open to see Rhett’s blushing face beside him, with the rest of his body hidden behind the tree. His mouth hung open in astonishment. Seeing his own face reflected in those big, jade eyes gave Link chills. There is only the sound of the wind filling the air around them before either man had the courage to say anything.

“Uh, R-Rhett! I… Hi,” Link spoke before inhaling deeply, as he forgot to breathe before speaking. Rhett licked his chapped lips open with a staggering breath following.

“Hi…” The word was barely audible as it passed through Rhett’s lips. The two let the wind take over the conversation again for a few seconds before Link continued.

“I’m sorry. I… destroyed your muse, didn’t I?” the shorter man added as he started moving away from the tree. His head hung low, and he fiddled with the instrument in his hands. Before Link could increase the size of his nervous steps, Rhett rested his hand on Link’s clavicle. Link could feel the heat radiating off his large palms through his vest. He raised his head to look back at Rhett, whose glimmering eyes flickered from one eye to the other repeatedly.

“Play more,” he said with more confidence. A small smile spread on his glowing face. He kept his voice low, which felt more intimate to Link, like the man’s voice was a special, secret gift for him to hear and no one else. “It’s beautiful.” Link blushed at the compliment, displaying a shy smile. He took this as his chance to play that piece he wrote last night. He timidly inched back to where he was standing before as Rhett revealed the rest of his body, along with his guitar, from behind the oak tree. His attention never strayed from Link’s hands as they settled into their positions above the holes along the slim body of the instrument. Link closed his eyes, inhaled slowly, and began to play. His notes were a little shaky at first due to nerves, but his tone became more precise as he continued playing. After about a minute through his song, Link started to hear a guitar backing him up with a soothing counter-melody. Link opened his eyes in surprise, and he was overtaken by the enamored expression Rhett was wearing as he strummed away. His piercing eye contact shot through Link like a bullet to his lungs, making him choke on his notes until he couldn’t play anymore. “You okay?” Rhett asked, stopping his playing.

“Yeah, I…” Link answered between coughs. “You, I…” Rhett put his guitar down against the tree as he stepped closer to Link. “It’s uh, getting cold…” Link continued, grasping his arms close to his torso. “How ‘bout we… go get a coffee? Or a hot chocolate? Something to warm us up.” Rhett took a step back, biting his bottom lip. His gaze dropped to the ground between them. “It’ll be on me. I’ll buy whatever you want. Don’t worry about it,” Link added once his coughing stopped. He put his shaking hand on the taller man’s shoulder, with his thumb resting at the base of Rhett’s neck. The blonde lifted his head back up to meet the other’s face. Link’s reassuring smile and the sincerity of his cerulean gaze was enough to convince him to take up the offer.

“Okay,” he finally breathed, maintaining eye contact. The corner of his mouth twitched into a lopsided smile, making Link beam a wide smile of his own.

“I’m Link, by the way,” the darker-haired man said, taking Rhett’s guitar and handing it to the other with utmost care. Rhett wiped the dirt and fingerprints off the headstock and soundboard of his precious instrument as he flickered his eyes between the guitar and Link’s face.

“Nice to meet you… Link.” Redness tinted his face as the name rolled off his tongue. Link breathed a small laugh, feeling accomplished to hear Rhett say his name. The taller man flicked his visual attention towards the ground, where his old, dilapidated sneakers scuffed at a cluster of dormant grass.

“So, you ready to go?” Link asked, filling the silence. He shivered a bit as goose bumps travelled up his arms. The wind was getting stronger, and the temperature was dropping by the minute. “We should get going before the storm gets here.” Rhett nodded silently and walked beside Link as they left the park to find a coffee shop.


	3. Chapter 3

Link brought two foam cups of hot chocolate to their small table inside the coffee shop, where Rhett sat patiently, closely studying Link’s recorder. His guitar knelt against his chair. He looked up at Link, taking the warm cup from his hand.

“Thank you,” he whispered, just loud enough for Link to hear. The spectacled man plopped himself into the cushioned chair and smiled.

“Anything for you, Rhett.” Link took a quick sip of his hot chocolate, cautious of how hot it was. Rhett stayed silent for a while, swirling his index finger around the stirring stick in his cup. His eyes were locked onto the spinning bubbles forming on the steaming liquid’s surface. “Is everything all right? You seem distracted.” Rhett’s attention jumped up to Link.

“Sorry. I’m…” Rhett breathed out a soft throat noise, unable to make words come out. Instead, he sipped his drink through the spinning stick like a straw, once again trying to avoid eye contact. The air between them thickened quickly, so Link decided to say something since Rhett was obviously having a hard time communicating.

“So… how long have you been playing?” Link asked, leaning forward on the table, with his cup in between his two palms. Rhett’s eyes shot upward to meet Link’s gaze. He hesitated for a while, possibly calculating the duration in his head.

“I have no idea,” he responded with a heavy shrug. Link realized that he’d probably been homeless for quite some time, so he might not have kept track of time very often. He looked over at the guitar next to Rhett, and decided to change the topic.

“Is that a Carlos? I haven’t seen one of those since I was a kid.” Link gestured towards the acoustic. Rhett gave his instrument a sideways glance as he took another sip, nodding his head softly. “It looks like an old model. Where in the world did you get it?” Link asked, supporting his weight on his elbows as he leaned forwards even more.

“It was a gift,” Rhett mumbled, “from a good man.” He put his cup down and folded his hands in front of him. “Rest his soul.” Link’s worry for the man grew, watching the sparkle in Rhett’s eyes fade.

“Oh my god… I’m sorry,” he said. His voice was now softer and a little higher pitched, like when he would cheer up one of his students if they were upset or embarrassed. “Was he family?” His eyes focused on the wandering ones before him.

“He may as well have been… but I don’t… don’t really have a family. Not anymore.”

“Oh… Oh, I’m so sorry, Rhett. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m – I’m sorry.” Link was feeling guilt and grief overflowing him, regretting ever asking these questions. Clearly, they were upsetting him. Link was ecstatic to be finally able to get more than a couple words from him, but couldn’t handle seeing him get upset over their conversation. With that, he avoided the deep, personal questions and instead tried to butter him up to make him feel better. “You’re very talented. You know that?” Rhett’s big puppy-dog eyes flicked back up to meet Link’s, and a quaint smile formed on his face. “You could work with me at the school. Help me teach the kids.”

“Oh, no… I couldn’t do that,” Rhett answered, a bit louder than he had been speaking. Rhett chuckled a little bit, making Link happy that this was working out. “You, uh, teach, by the way?”

“Yep. Elementary school music teacher. I help third-graders read music and play recorder. This one’s the one I use to demonstrate fingerings.” Link picked up the woodwind from the table and fluttered his fingers over the holes. “I, myself, have been playing since third grade.”

“Clearly!” Rhett nearly yelled, covering his mouth afterwards in embarrassment. The baritone in his voice was now clearly heard, and Link was quite impressed. “You’re like a pro on that thing. You must have quite the pair of lips judging by the way you play that thing.” His face quickly turned red and he took huge gulps of his hot chocolate, only slightly burning his tongue and throat. Link was blushing too, and his fingers tapped against the warm foam of his cup.

“Thanks, Rhett,” he said with a slight giggle. “You must have really skilled hands, judging by the way you play guitar.” He waggled his eyebrows playfully, leaving both of them laughing like they’d known each other for years. Once their laughter subsided, Link continued with his flattery, liking the direction this new conversation was going. “And oh my goodness, your voice? You must be a great singer.”

“Haha… noooo. I don’t sing… Especially in front of others.” Link finished his drink as he continued to listen. “I don’t even feel comfortable playing in front of people. That’s why I hang out by that tree! And then you showed up… and…” Rhett’s tone softened near the end of those words, leaving them hanging in the air. That red tint in his cheeks was quick to return. He tipped his cup towards him, realizing he had finished his drink. Rhett started to get chills, and took a staggered breath in response.

“Do you want another one?” Link asked, concerned for Rhett’s sudden change in demeanor. “I don’t mind buying you another drink.” Rhett refused, shaking his head almost like it was vibrating side to side. He still hadn’t looked back at Link. He seemed like he was having a hard time keeping still. Link reached out and laid his hand upon Rhett’s. The sudden contact startled Rhett into freezing. “You okay?” Link asked. The gaze from his bright blue irises seeped into Rhett’s panicked eyes. His eyes flicked down to see the smaller man’s thumb caress his hand, brushing the skin softly. Link could read the confliction on the other man’s face before it settled to a calmer one. Rhett lifted his head back up towards Link.

“Thank you… for the drink,” he finally said before sliding his hand out of Link’s grasp. “It’s getting late. We should both head home.” Rhett stood up, picked up his guitar, and moved towards the exit.

“Wait!” Link called. “Where are you going?” Rhett pushed through the glass door, letting huge bullets of snow shoot into the coffee shop. As the door slammed itself shut, Link shot up out of his seat and ran out of the building. The second he got outside, he was bombarded by falling snow. He looked around frantically searching for Rhett. He soon spotted the tall figure running down the sidewalk against the force of the wind. Thankfully, the storm wasn’t yet strong enough to affect his speed much. Link darted after him without contemplation. After a couple blocks, Link lost him in the fog. He couldn’t even recognize the area with the fog as thick as it was. Just when he had lost hope, deciding to turn back around and head home, he heard some rustling and a familiar baritone voice. Link hesitated for a while as he peered down the alleyway beside him. He couldn’t see much, but he was sure that’s where the voice came from. He crept further into the alley, keeping close to a wall to guide him. He soon heard the voice again, much clearer this time.

“Stupid… Stupid… So stupid!!!” A loud crashing sound echoed down the passage. Link was soon able to make out shapes of his surroundings. A dark form of a taller man became visible as a trash receptacle rolled away from him. He hissed at the pain throbbing in his knuckles before falling to his knees on the cement. “Link…” he whispered through light sobs. “I’m sorry... I’m a joke.” Link was fully able to see Rhett, and the dead end he had inhabited. He hid behind some stacked boxes, hoping the other wouldn’t see him there. Rhett scooted towards the wall that kept him driest from the accumulating snowfall. His guitar was kept under some discarded corkboards leaning against the wall beside him. “He finally talks to me, and all I do is choke like an idiot.” Rhett sighed, taking an old wool blanket from between a crate and the wall. He opened the blanket up, waving some dust and snow off it before huddling underneath it. Link couldn’t bear to see Rhett living all by himself like this, and the increasing snowfall and wind wasn’t helping.

“Rhett?” Link called softly, slowly moving deeper into the alley. The other jumped at the voice, snapping his head in Link’s direction.

“Link?! What’re you doing here? How’d you –”

“Better question: What are you doing here? This can’t be your home. I won’t allow it – at least not while this storm is here!” Link scrambled to Rhett’s guitar, taking it from its shelter. Rhett jumped up from the ground, still with the blanket around his shoulders.

“HEY!” Rhett snapped, reaching for his guitar in Link’s hands. “Give that back!”

“No! You’re coming with me. I won’t be able to sleep at night knowing you’re out here freezing to death in this storm! There’s no way I’m letting you live like this.” Link yanked the blanket off Rhett’s shoulders, leaving them cold and wet with quickly accruing snow. Rhett snatched it back quickly before successfully grabbing the guitar, ripping it from the smaller man’s grasp.

“I’m! Staying! Here!!” Rhett’s voice echoed down the alley out into the street. Link stepped closer to the blond, firmly planting his feet before the taller man.

“Then I’m staying too!” Rhett’s eyes grew wide.

“No!!” Rhett cried, taking Link’s shoulders in both hands, dropping the blanket and guitar. He imagined the two of them bracing the storm, Link catching hypothermia first – and dying in Rhett’s frozen arms. He couldn’t allow that to happen to someone he cared for as much as Link. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something bad happened to him all because he was acting stubborn. He took a sigh of defeat. “Fine. You win, okay?” Link bent down, taking the fallen blanket off the ground and wrapping it around Rhett’s broad shoulders. His big blue eyes settled on Rhett’s defeated gaze as a smile bunched his freezing, red cheeks.

“Come on. Let’s get out of this storm before it gets worse than it already is.” Link bent down again, picking up Rhett’s now slightly dented guitar. The blond reached for it, accidentally dropping a corner of his blanket. Link quickly wrapped it back around him, making sure he had a firm grip on the corner. “I got it. You just worry about keeping yourself warm. You need it.” Link enveloped Rhett’s upper back with his arm as he led them to his house a number of blocks away.


	4. Chapter 4

A blustering flurry burst through the front door as the two entered Link’s home. Together they shoved the door shut behind them. Rhett wiped his wet sneakers on the doormat as Link turned up the temperature on the thermostat by the door.

“You can just leave your shoes there. We’ll take care of them once they’re dry,” Link suggested, removing his blue, puffy winter vest before draping it over the back of his recliner. Rhett did just as he was asked while admiring the interior of the house. It was a small ranch house with the main room being an open-floored space. To his right was the living room area, which composed of a large grey sofa with a matching recliner, a glass-topped coffee table, a couple ferns, and an average-sized box television. The back of the room lied the kitchen and dining area, separated only by a half wall and some redwood pillars. To his left was a hallway leading to three closed doors and a curtain-covered closet. The house was very well-kept and inviting.

“Nice place you got here,” Rhett commented, removing the cold, wet hoodie from his torso.

“Thanks,” Link replied, taking the blanket and hoodie from Rhett. “I’ll throw these into the wash for you.” He headed down the hallway, carrying the linen into the second door down. Rhett moseyed around the main room, taking in the atmosphere of being inside an actual house, and basking in the heat as it started to warm up. “I dug out some spare soaps and razors and such for you. I imagine you’d wanna clean yourself up,” Link said, making his way to the sofa with a couple pillows and blankets in his hands. “I also took out one of my extra toothbrushes for you. It’s the red one in the cup next to the sink. I left a towel out for you too.” Link started removing the cushions from the sofa, revealing a canvas-dressed frame tucked underneath and into the body of the sofa.

“Yes. Thank you. I’ve been bathing in rainwater for weeks. I could go for a real shower. Thank you so much.” Rhett nearly ran to the first door down the hall, turning into the pristine restroom. The room was lined with baby blue tiles that cooled the calluses on Rhett’s soles. Like Link said, he had left a fluffy, sea-foam green towel folded up on the corner of the sink. As he ran two fingers across the fibers, he was appalled at the man looking back at him in the mirror. He didn’t look like the Rhett he used to be, and barely recognized himself at all. He missed his shorter hair and chinstrap. Now he donned longer, curling hair that almost hid his eyebrows and a full bushy beard that he could never stop fiddling with. He looked back to the sink countertop and inspected the shampoo and conditioner bottles Link took out for him. He popped the cap open and took a whiff, admiring the aroma of the ‘Ocean Breeze’ Suave shampoo. He put it back down while eyeing the freshly-opened razor that seemed to be shooting Rhett a death glare that made him sick to his stomach. He picked it up, and his fingers suddenly turned to noodles as if they didn’t know how to even hold the razor, let alone use it properly. He quickly placed it back on the counter, turning his attention to the toothbrushes instead, which were nestled in a cup beside the sink. He took the red one, remembering Link telling him it was for him. Comfort and relief filled him to the point where he truly felt at home. He was so excited to finally be able to pamper himself again.

Link had pulled out the sofa bed and was laying out the blankets he got from the closet. A perky smile of satisfaction was donned on his face as he finally heard the shower running in the other room. As he was straightening the folds on the comforter, he heard what sounded like soft singing coming from the restroom. It didn’t sound like any words were being made out – just a calming tune that Link could not recognize. He slowly treaded down the hallway, beaming in curiosity as the voice got a little louder. Just Rhett’s scatting was enough to bring heat to Link’s cheeks. The cheerful, yet soothing melody made his head nod to the rhythm. The longer he listened, he grew more impatient and curious. He pressed his ear against the restroom door, smiling as he was lulled into another one of his trances. It felt like time froze, and there was nothing around him but the baritone voice embracing his soul. He felt the warmth rushing through his bloodstream, inviting the invisible touch with open arms. He hummed involuntarily with the giddiest smile and softly closed eyelids. The tumbling and turning of something mechanical drew a sudden attention to itself, and the raven-haired man could not quite make out what that familiar sound was…

“Link? You don’t happen to have any clothes I can –”

Link’s weight was thrown inside as the restroom door opened. The side of his face slapped against a damp, bare chest. He pulled himself off to meet Rhett’s startled gaze.

“Oh, sorry,” Link mumbled nervously as his focus bounced all over the figure in front of him… from the bare, slightly-toned shoulders, past the golden curls clustered on his damp chest, to that fluffy, green towel wrapped around Rhett’s pelvis. Link’s face had turned quite noticeably red, and he could feel his tongue swelling in his mouth. “I, uh…” His eyes flicked back up to meet Rhett’s. His face was as red as Link’s, and his lips seemed smaller all scrunched together. “… just wanted to know what you wanted for dinner,” Link continued, beads of sweat forming on his brow. He shot a wide grin at the taller man, who remained motionless and speechless as he stared at the man before him. Link could only hear his heartbeat echoing in his ears, getting louder and beating faster by the second. He was starting to worry that Rhett might actually hear it. “I’ll get you some clothes while you think about it,” Link said, scurrying further down the hall and entering his bedroom at the end.

Link searched frantically around his room for clothes that might fit Rhett. He eventually found a large white tank top and the pair of plaid pajama pants that he never hemmed the ends of. He blushed at a pair of flamingo-patterned briefs he had bought on his trip to Miami. Just the very thought of that man wearing his intimates was enough to get him all worked up. He took the articles of clothing with him back out into the hallway. Rhett was still standing in the doorway of the restroom with that bashful expression that had remained on his face. After given the clothes, Rhett reentered the restroom to dress himself.

Trying to clear his mind, Link immediately went to make their dinner. Since Rhett never told him what he wanted, Link decided that a nice hot chicken soup would be perfect for a cold night like this one. Soon enough, Rhett emerged from the restroom donning the clothing he was given. The tank top was a little tight around his chest, and complimented his broad shoulders and pecs. The plaid pants fit perfectly on his long legs. Link remembered the briefs he had picked out for him, and started blushing again as he pictured those little pink birds underneath that patterned flannel.

“Smells good,” Rhett commented, slowly stepping into the kitchen area. “Need any help setting the table?” Link shook the blush out of his cheeks.

“The plates and glasses are in the first cabinet on the left. We’ll need forks from the top drawer.” Rhett made it over to the cabinet in only two swift strides. As he placed the dishes on the dining table, Link looked over his shoulder with a smile. “I, uh, heard you singing in the shower.” Rhett’s movements became slower, nearly excruciatingly so. “I knew you’d be good at it,” Link added as his gentle smile turned into a proud smirk, squinting his eyes teasingly at the taller man. Rhett didn’t know how to respond, so he just remained silent as he finished setting the table. The room was starting to get obnoxiously quiet, and Rhett was starting to consider that worse than making a fool of himself with jumbled words, so he changed the subject as his attention was commandeered by the savory aroma of chicken broth and parsley.

“Is that almost done? That soup smells amazing,” he commented, practically drooling over Link’s shoulder. The shorter man nodded in response, keeping his attention on the boiling chicken soup – half because he didn’t want it boiling over, and half because he was a little afraid of turning to face Rhett while he was right behind him and looming over his shoulder. Rhett gulped and continued, “You know… no one’s ever been as nice to me as you have, and… well… I just wanted to thank you… for bringing me into your home… and going through all this trouble to take care of me.” He hesitantly slid one of his large hands on Link’s shoulder, slightly clutching the fabric of his sweater with his shaky fingers. Spasms of Link’s nerves travelled down his side from where Rhett’s hand touched all the way down to his knees, almost making them buckle at the touch. Link timidly turned his head to look at the warm hand nestled on his shoulder. Rhett’s head started spinning, so he quickly retracted his hand with a whispered apology. Link turned more towards him to look him in the eye. He shot a lopsided smile at the taller man.

“It’s no trouble at all,” he responded. Rhett could feel his soul being consumed by those cerulean whirlpools that dragged him down the first time he ever laid eyes on them. “I think the soup’s done,” Link continued.

Link was very amused at how quickly Rhett ate his soup. After every few bites, he’d make satisfied grunts and would comment on how good it was. It must’ve been the best, if not the only, meal he had in a month. Link also couldn’t help but notice how often Rhett would mess with his bushy, strawberry-blond beard. He would fiddle with the tangles in the curls as if the hairs were trying to consume his face.

“You, uh, having trouble over there?” Link asked across the table, taking another spoonful of soup. Rhett put his spoon down with a troubled sigh.

“I keep getting soup in my beard,” he responded, scrubbing away at the facial fuzz with his napkin. Link silently chuckled behind one of his hands. “It’s too much to handle,” Rhett continued, tugging lightly at the curls.

“You didn’t wanna tame it while you were in the bathroom? I left out a new razor for you to use.” Rhett stayed quiet for a while, tapping some of his fingertips together as he hung his head low. Link didn’t need a verbal response to understand him. He’d gone so long without maintenance he didn’t trust himself to do it. He probably never even had experience trimming down something as long and unmanageable as the wild bush on his face. “I could do it for you if that makes you more comfortable,” Link offered. Rhett lifted his head up with a nod as a slight tint of red glowed on the round cheeks of his timid smile.


	5. Chapter 5

After the two had finished their soup and cleaned up their dishes, they took one of the dining chairs and headed straight for the restroom. Link collected all his grooming equipment and arranged it all on the countertop as Rhett sat anxiously in the chair.

“You think you just want a trim, or do you want it all gone? I can style it too, if you want,” Link asked, lightly lifting and turning Rhett’s jaw in different angles. His fingers tickled Rhett’s neck as the blond pondered at his reflection. He reminisced about styles he had in the past. The last style he had was a chinstrap. He liked having a style that gave the illusion of him having a bigger chin than the one he really had, and the chinstrap did a great job at that. Rhett almost considered it, but stopped himself as scenes replayed in his memory that he’d rather put behind him. He wanted a clean slate – to start anew. He didn’t want to remember Chinstrap Rhett’s life. He was a new man now, and a new man meant a new look. All the possibilities flooded his mind and mixed with those memories he wanted to delete from his brain. He wasn’t comfortable making decisions on the spot, and was becoming overwhelmed fairly quickly. Link could see the indecision stressing him out and decided to relieve him – at least just a little bit. “Well, how about we just start with a trim. Since it’s cold out you might want that protective layer anyway. If you think you want it styled any different though, let me know,” he suggested, patting Rhett’s shoulders.

“Okay,” Rhett answered with a sigh of relief. “But I like the chin area longer than the sides. That’s something I know I want.” Link laughed at how strongly he seemed to feel about that detail.

“Sure, no problem. I’ll make it look nice and flattering for you,” he said, winking at the blond’s reflection in the mirror. Rhett smiled with a blush as he adjusted his posture in the chair. Link grabbed his battery-powered trimmer and set the setting to four for the sides. He could feel his heartbeat pumping harder both in anticipation and from the thought of Link touching his neck and face for the next few minutes. His face grew hotter as long, thin fingers combed through the sides of his bushy beard, tugging lightly at the curls. Rhett gasped involuntarily at the ticklish sensation, and the butterflies in his stomach started fluttering into a rampant dance. Link maneuvered around the chair for a better angle. His focused, yet tender gaze met Rhett’s nervous puppy-dog eyes as he brought the trimmer to the side of his jaw. The blond flinched as the cold device brushed against his face, so Link took a firm hold on his chin to keep him from moving. The hairs tickled his skin as the trimmer moved up towards his cheekbone, chopping the fibers along the way.

Once that side was finished, Link was ready to move on to the right side. Rhett was pleased with what was already trimmed, and rubbed the soft, tamed hairs while admiring the cut in the mirror.

“This is a good length,” he commented, looking up at the standing brunet.

“Yeah?” Link said with a smile. “Then let’s do the other side so you don’t have that random patch of short-beard.” Rhett laughed with his hearty baritone voice as Link circled the chair to get to the other side. From this angle, Link was having a hard time trying to get the right leverage, finally deciding on holding Rhett’s head steady from the highest point on his head. Rhett’s eyes widened in response to the strong grasp before jutting his jaw out to Link. He watched the trimming process in the mirror in front of him.

With each bunch of hair that rolled down and off his shoulder, Rhett felt more relaxed, as if a huge burden was lifted off his back piece by piece. He studied the movements of Link’s hand as he softly pushed the trimmer along the grain. It took a lot of trust and courage to let someone else – let alone someone he barely knew – to run such a potentially dangerous device across his face. He truly felt closer to him, and it helped him feel more relaxed around his dark-haired host.

All that was left was the section around the mouth. The two laughed at the level of ridiculousness this look had, commenting how much Rhett looked like some kind of goat. Link changed the setting on the trimmer to six. Once he was ready to continue, he stopped and panicked internally at his new concern.

“How are we gonna do this?” Link asked, circling Rhett apprehensively looking for an answer that wouldn’t make his brain implode. The smile on Rhett’s face turned into an expression of pure anxiety. The dancing butterflies came back, and Rhett couldn’t do anything about the blush that was forming on his face. He didn’t want Rhett to turn his head, for the stretching of his skin might make the trim uneven. Link soon came up with a conclusion and positioned himself in front of Rhett’s quivering legs. Link, himself, started quivering, and he gulped before asking, “You think you could handle this part yourself, or do you still want me to? ‘Cause if I do it, I’m gonna have to straddle you to get the right leverage.” Heat travelled down to his lower abdomen as Rhett heard the word ‘straddle’. Although he had been watching how Link was going through the process, he still didn’t feel comfortable doing it himself… yet he feared the possible outcomes of letting Link sit on his lap and seeing his face filling his view. His hands struggled as he forced them to pat his thighs as his response.

Link recognized the invitation and had a hard time moving closer, as if there were hundred-pound weights tied around each of his ankles. He eventually was able to lift his leg over those long thighs before slowly lowering himself onto Rhett’s knees. Every movement made their hearts beat faster. Link wanted to check in with Rhett, to see if he was still okay with this, but his tongue swelled up in his mouth. He gulped in attempt to calm his nerves before finally being able to speak.

“Is this okay?” he asked, searching for confirmation in Rhett’s expression in case he was having as much trouble as Link was when it came to forming words. Those widened, jade eyes were fully locked onto Link’s, and beads of sweat were forming just above Rhett’s thick brows. He hesitatingly nodded in response, barely able to handle himself. With that, Link brought the trimmer to Rhett’s face again, leaning slightly closer for a better view. His left hand cradled Rhett’s jaw and lifted it to the position he wanted. The now shorter hair on the underside of his jaw made it easier for Rhett to feel the softness and warmth of Link’s hand, which made it harder for him to control his emotions. The trimmer ran down Rhett’s chin, and the falling hairs tickled the exposed skin around the neck of the tank top he was wearing. It was hard for Rhett to not call attention to the weight and heat concentrated on his thighs. All that mixed with the close proximity of Link’s face and the mixed expressions that were carried with it were proving to be too much to handle. He forced his eyes shut so the only sensations he had were the hand under his jaw, his beard tingling, and the falling hairs. Every once in a while, he’d feel Link shifting on his legs, which would make it more difficult for Rhett to focus.

Link was working on the area above the lips now, and the pressure of the device lessened a little bit around the sensitive skin. Rhett could feel a slightly chilled breath on the side of his neck. He peeked through one eye to see Link’s face about a hand’s distance away from his, seeing mostly his bright, blue eyes and the square-rimmed glasses framing them perfectly. Link soon shifted and straightened his posture, moving his face further away.

“Okay. We’re done!” Link exclaimed, brushing the hairs off Rhett’s shoulders. His focus glided across Rhett’s jaw. He smiled as he admired the new face that was hidden from him before. “I actually really like it just trimmed like this. It accentuates your jaw and chin really well.” Rhett stretched his neck out to both sides frantically, begging to see if it was as good as Link was saying. Link clapped the hairs off his hands before finally getting off the taller man’s legs. “What do you think?” he asked.

Link’s body moved aside to reveal the new man looking back at Rhett in the mirror. He perked up with widened eyes glistening of intrigue and admiration. The blond brought his hands to his face, stroking the sides of his jaw and the underside of his chin. He brought a warm smile to his face, quite impressed and happy with the results. His jade eyes glowed as he looked back at Link.

“I love it,” he responded. His smile grew even wider, making his cheeks perk out even more. Seeing Rhett so happy made Link’s heart race. Rhett looked back into the mirror, turning his head in different angles. “Maybe you could do something with my hair too,” he laughed.

“Maybe another time,” Link replied with a chuckle as Rhett got up off the chair. He shook the tank top to get the stray hairs off, moved towards the shorter man, and pulled him into a tight hug. His long arms wrapped completely around Link’s torso, and his head rested on the brunet’s strong shoulder. The sweet Biotera shampoo in Link’s hair was filling Rhett’s lungs and dazzling his senses. He soon realized how much physical contact he was giving, and was regretting invading Link’s personal space. He released the other man with a forced laugh.

“Thanks, man,” Rhett said as the two maintained eye contact.

“No problem,” Link responded with a smile, “You look good.” He bowed his head towards the floor, trying to hide his blushing. His view was now raided by clusters of curly, reddish-blond hair that were scattered on the light blue tiles underneath and around the chair. “I’ll clean up the mess. You go bring that chair back in the kitchen. I’ll meet you out there in a couple minutes.” Rhett nodded before doing what was requested. There was a noticeable spring in his step that made Link chuckle to himself.

While Link was taking care of the trimmings, Rhett pushed the chair neatly under the kitchen table, careful not to scratch the hardwood floor. There was movement in the corner of his eye, so he looked up to see the window above the sink. The snow was plummeting down like billions of white, fluffy bullets. The fog was thick and was carried by the strong wind. He wished he could see just how much of the snow had piled up in the last few hours, but at the same time, he didn’t want to find out. He imagined himself back in that alleyway, almost completely buried in that quickly accruing snow, freezing to death and starving, wishing the storm would just end his suffering right there. If Link hadn’t been so persistent, Rhett surely would’ve been dead by morning.

He soon heard footsteps coming closer behind him. He turned to see Link arriving at his side.

“Oh wow. I hope we don’t get snowed in,” he commented, patting Rhett’s back gently. “Come on. Let’s get to bed.” Link led Rhett to the sofa bed he had set up for him earlier. Rhett didn’t hesitate to crawl under the covers, and he immediately relaxed his muscles on the mattress. He missed all this… having a roof over his head, hearing the clicks and clacks of the heater as it warmed the room, eating real food, pampering himself, laying down on a bed, and curling up under the soft covers. All this was possible because of this one man. This man who approached him, harmonized with him, bought him a drink, and invited him into his home. Rhett nuzzled his head against the soft, fluffy pillow, smelling a faint resonance of that shampoo he smelled on Link earlier. “How’re you doing?” Link asked, breaking the comfortable silence. He sat on the edge of the mattress, turning his torso so he could face Rhett. The blond peeked up at him with half his face buried under the covers. Link could tell he was smiling because of his perking cheeks and slightly squinted eyes.

“I feel safe… Warm…” Rhett answered softly. He poked the rest of his head out, folding the blankets underneath his chin. “… Loved.” He blushed at the last word as Link looked down at the man, giving him an expression of pure adoration. He was happy that beard was trimmed so he could see Rhett’s glowing smile better. He didn’t look as heartbroken as he was that first time he saw him in the park, and almost seemed like a whole new man. It took everything he could to keep him from just leaning over Rhett to kiss his freshly trimmed face. Instead, he lightly rubbed the back of his hand against his soft, warm cheek. Rhett turned his face into it until his nose and the corner of his mouth were pressed against the tender skin.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Rhett,” he whispered. “Goodnight.” He got up, leaving his hand to trail down Rhett’s neck.

“Goodnight, Link,” Rhett whispered back, tucking his chin underneath the covers as Link lifted his hand away from his body. Link took a moment to get one last look at the man as he closed his eyes. He made an airy chuckle before he walked down the hallway and into his bedroom. Things were starting to go well.


	6. Chapter 6

Link’s slumber was interrupted by a faint noise. It was a pleasant sound… very soothing and treble. He could almost feel the vibrations of the coiled strings as they were strummed in the other room. Link’s eyes fluttered open as a knowing grin stretched across his face. He slipped on a robe before heading out to the living room.

Across the way was Rhett sitting up on the sofa bed strumming away softly with his guitar on his lap. Link could see how immersed he was due to his usual behavior when playing, but the second the bedroom door shut, Rhett stopped playing and snapped his eyes open in Link’s direction. Heat rose to his cheeks as he moved to put the guitar aside.

“I woke you up, didn’t I? I’m sorry…” Rhett spoke in a softer voice than usual, and his head dipped down like a scolded puppy. Link just stood there confused and slightly amused.

“The storm has blown over. I should leave,” Rhett continued, getting out of the bed. Link shook his head in surprise. “Thank you so much for your hospitality. I really appreciate it.” Link nearly ran over to Rhett, grabbing his shoulders once he got to him.

“Rhett!! No, no… You don’t have to leave. Stay here. Stay here with me… at least until you’re back on your feet. Just… stay.” Link stopped to sink his gaze into the other man’s eyes, letting him know he was sincere. “Please.” Link’s face lit up when he saw Rhett’s smile perk up his blushing cheeks.

“Okay,” Rhett responded with the softest giggle, earning a strong hug from the shorter man.

“Good,” Link sighed, draping his arms over the blond's shoulders for only a couple seconds as he pressed the side of his face against Rhett’s collarbone. Once they separated, Link strolled merrily to the kitchen area while Rhett sat back down on the bed, putting his guitar back on his lap. He brushes his fingers across the strings experimentally, making Link’s waking ears tingle in delight.

“What were you playing earlier? When I came in?” Rhett froze at the question, darting his eyes toward the man across the room. Link took a box of cereal out of one of the cabinets and put it on the dining room table. “Was it a certain song, or –”

“No, nothing in particular…” Rhett interrupted before taking a breath. “Just, uh, keeping the juices flowing.” Rhett strummed his tuned strings again. “Is it all right if I keep playing?” 

“By all means. Play to your heart’s content. Your music is what led me to you in the first place,” Link answered, flashing a bright, toothy grin at the blond on the sofa bed. He took out two bowls and spoons, putting them next to the cereal box on the table. With that, Rhett stretched his fingers and began to play an experimental theme. It started out with classic guitar flair, just a couple alternating chords transitioning into a melody of sorts. Rhett watched as Link’s head nodded to the calm, yet upbeat rhythm as he opened the cereal box. He soon began shaking the open box over the bowls, making cereal pour out in short spurts in time with Rhett’s song like a big, cardboard maraca. Rhett laughed at the goofy grin Link was sporting in his own amusement. Wanting to impress the dark-haired man even more, he made a smooth transition into a warm, almost romantic theme, moving his fingers so fast that his guitar practically turned into an Italian mandolin – which is very hard to accomplish with single strings and without a pick. Link’s head snapped back in Rhett’s direction in response, still displaying his contagious smile as he moved to the fridge.

“Oh, you like that?” Rhett asked in a teasing tone, biting his bottom lip as his fingers continued to race back and forth across the strings. Link laughed in return, eyes glued to Rhett’s hands as they performed their elaborate dance, fingertips lightly brushing the strings – just enough for sound to be emanated. Oh my God was all his brain kept repeating as he slowly carried the gallon of milk to the table.

Now that Rhett got the attention he was seeking, he was starting to feel a little bold. He was curious as to what kind of reaction he would get with the next tune he was about to play. In a fluid succession of his fingers, he changed the key with a sensual minor chord. The sudden Spanish flair made Link’s eyes widen and color rise to his cheeks. Rhett’s fingers kept moving quickly like for the mandolin theme, but the way he stroked the guitar strings looked more like a soft caress than an intricate dance. Link found himself staring at the fluidity of the motion, imagining how that would feel against his skin. He felt goose bumps forming in a wave down his arms, making the short, dark hairs stand straight. He lifted his gaze to meet Rhett’s stare. His half-lidded eyes were nearly shrouded by the shadow of his protruding brows. The gaze had him pinned against his will, and Link couldn’t get enough of it. Rhett’s expression suddenly changed as his eyes focused towards the table. He stopped playing.

“Link! LINK!!” Rhett yelled across the room with a demanding gaze. Link shook himself back to reality, feeling cold liquid splash onto his lap, staining the soft fibers of his robe. He dropped the gallon of milk as he jumped out of his chair. Milk had overflowed one of the bowls, making the liquid flood the table and spill onto the floor, carrying the bits of cereal with it. Rhett sprinted across the room, leaving the guitar on the sofa bed. He immediately went for the spilling gallon, capping it on the counter behind him. Link couldn’t stand the wet, heavy fabric freezing the skin on his lap, so he pulled the soaked robe off. His face was of disappointment and disgust. 

“Sorry for stripping, but this is gross,” Link muttered grumpily, dropping the robe onto the kitchen floor with a splat. Rhett turned back around with a roll of paper towels and handed them to the unclothed man. He quickly became distracted by the sight of Link wearing only his red briefs as he loomed over the table, drying off the highest points of the mess first. Rhett switched his focus to the ground, seeing the pools of white cover the linoleum tiles.

“Oh gosh… It’s everywhere… I’m so sorry.” Rhett’s words were soft and sullen as he reached for more paper towels, ripping them off piece by piece and dropping them to the floor to soak up the mess. “I’ll buy you a new gallon, okay?” Link finished wiping up the table, and turned with more paper towels to help with the floor.

“No, no. Don’t buy me milk. And it’s my fault for not paying attention,” Link responded, dropping more square sheets onto the wet floor.

“I shouldn’t have distracted you!” Rhett’s voice grew a bit louder, and the guilt was quite evident in his tone. He started wandering around the kitchen area with his head pressed between his hands. Link stopped him in his tracks by grabbing his shoulder, gaining Rhett’s full attention.

“Rhett. It’s okay.” The blond avoided the blue-eyed gaze, instead focusing on the nearly empty gallon on the counter. “Rhett? Look at me.” After brief hesitation, he fixed his gaze back to Link’s sky blue irises. “Promise me you won’t dwell on this.” Rhett could still feel the guilt eating him alive, but that wasn’t going to stop him from making Link happy… at least not now.

“Okay…” His words were borderline-whispered as he nodded his head down. Heat rose to his cheeks at the vivid reminder of the amount of clothing the other man was wearing. The dampness of the milk-stained fabric on his pelvis stared Rhett down. Link took notice of the color in Rhett’s face, as well as the direction in which he was staring, and jumped back with a blush.

“Well…” Link laughed forcefully, “I should probably take care of these grody clothes, huh?” He cautiously lifted the dripping robe off the floor and carried it to the laundry room down the hall. His raised voice echoed through the house. “I think breakfast will have to wait. I gotta get this milk smell out of my clothes and off of me. Could you finish cleaning up?”

“Sure… and sorry again,” Rhett called back, looking around at all the soaked paper towels scattered on the floor. As he cleaned up and dried the rest of the milky aftermath, Rhett’s guilt built back up. His eyes flickered between the milk jug and his guitar across the room. Without another thought, he took a leftover container from one of the cabinets, picked up his guitar, put on Link’s vest, and headed out the front door.

Rhett half regretted going outside in just a tank top and a vest that was a little too small to zip, but he had a plan and he was determined to make it work out. He soon arrived at his destination: the park. Although there were huge banks of snow covering the ground, there were still plenty of individuals and families populating the venue. Instead of going to his tree, Rhett set himself up in the center of the courtyard, placing the plastic container on the brick ground in front of him. His nerves tensed up as some people stared at him. He especially caught the attention of the other homeless people huddled against the rail of the bridge.

Rhett couldn’t tell if it was the cold or his building anxiety causing his legs to shake; it was probably both. He could barely feel his reddening fingers as he brought them to his guitar. He clenched his fists a couple times to warm them up. After a heavy gulp and a deep breath, Rhett began to strum away. Of course, his guitar skills alone were enough to turn some heads, but he wasn’t given that much in tips. He panicked as the crowd started thinning, and had to think fast to get their attention back. Before he knew it, words began to escape his mouth in tune with his guitar. He didn’t know where the words were coming from, but they turned a lot more heads – so he just went with it. The crowd became a lot thicker, and Rhett felt a lot warmer and a bit more confident.

When he finished his song, his audience applauded and flocked to give any last minute tips to the shivering musician as he gave his thanks. Once the crowd dispersed, Rhett scooped up the plastic container, widening his eyes at its contents. After quickly counting up the tips, he sprinted out of the park and down the street looking for the nearest grocery store.


	7. Chapter 7

“Hey, Rhett? I was thinking of maybe ordering for brunch. Does that sound good?” Link asked, exiting the bathroom fully clothed with his hair still wet and tangled from his shower. The deafening silence confused him. “Rhett?” he called again, making his way into the main room. Seeing it was empty, Link checked his bedroom. Rhett was nowhere to be found – even his guitar was gone. The house felt a lot emptier without the taller man – somehow even more so than it was before they had even met. Link felt a heavy weight in his chest, making him feel a bit nauseous. He returned to the sofa bed in the other room, hoping he may have left anything behind – a note, the guitar hidden under the mattress, anything. Disappointed to not find anything, he threw himself onto the sofa bed, arms and legs spread out like a sea star.

He just up and left… without a word… Was it something I said? Did I do something that made him uncomfortable? We didn’t even get to say goodbye…

Link’s head pounded as tears started to flood his eyes, thinking about how he might never see Rhett again…with his wavy, dirty blonde hair… his precious puppy dog gaze… his inspirational music… and those unique jade eyes that seemed to sparkle when he smiled. He took off his fogged up glasses, setting them aside, before plunging his face into the soft pillow. He could smell the resonance of the shampoo Rhett had used, and took in as much of the sweet aroma as he could. His arms wrapped tightly around the pillow, making Link feel a little more secure… but it would never compare to holding the man he cared for. He released his emotions with a loud wail into the fluffy cotton of the pillowcase as the front door creaked open, allowing the tall figure behind it to come inside.

“Link!!” he exclaimed, dropping the plastic bags he was carrying onto the floor before darting for the broken man.

“Rhett?!?!” The second Link sprung up, he was pulled into the tightest embrace he’d ever had. Rhett’s long arms wrapped and locked around Link’s torso, and his head landed on his shoulder.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Rhett asked, burrowing his face into the side of the brunet’s neck as he rocked him from side to side. Link didn’t know how to answer him. He didn’t know how Rhett would react if he told the truth as to why he was crying, and was afraid of actually losing him for real. Seeing his glasses still idle on the sofa bed’s mattress gave him an idea.

“Nothing… I was just cleaning my glasses and I… I sprayed my eyes by accident.” Rhett loosened the hug to look at Link’s face. His face was moderately flushed and his eyes were irritated to the point of redness. Link took the moment to really take in the details of the face he missed so much in the past hour or so.

“Your eyes are all red. Do you need me to call poison control?”

“No… no, I’ll be fine. I’m feeling a lot better already,” Link answered, rubbing the moisture out of his eyes.

“You sure?” Link nodded with a smile so sweet it warmed Rhett’s heart to the point that he wanted to hold him again. Link’s eyes shot toward the bags by the front door.

“What are those?” he asked, pointing over Rhett’s shoulder. Rhett immediately got up and tended to one of the bags, taking out a gallon of milk. Link dropped his shoulders with his head falling to the side as a knowing smirk formed on his face. “You really couldn’t get over that, could you?” he laughed. Rhett walked over to hand the jug to Link.

“I know you didn’t want me to, but I couldn’t help it. I felt it was my fault and wanted to repay you. Think of it as a little thank you present.”

“How did you get the money to buy groceries?!” Link asked, gesturing to the other bags as Rhett moved to pick them up.

“I played for tips in the park. I still got some cash left over, too! Would you believe it?!” Rhett responded excitedly as he stuffed his bags of mysterious goodies on the overhead shelf in the hallway closet.

“What are you doing? What’s in those bags?”

“You’ll find out later… but for now, you are not allowed to snoop through them. In fact, the closet area is a no-go zone, okay? Please?” Rhett asked, hanging up Link’s vest that he had been wearing. Link giggled as he agreed to Rhett’s terms. “So, what do you like to do for fun? Watch TV? Put on a movie? Play games? What?” Rhett made his way back over to the sofa bed, settling himself right next to Link.

“You don’t feel like having a jam session?” Link asked, squinting his eyes at the man beside him.

“Well, I thought you’d want to just… you know… hang out? Bond a little bit? I wanna get to know you better. Have some fun, I dunno.” He scooted closer so their arms were pressed together. Link giggled in return before standing up with the jug of milk in his hands.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. We can order some breakfast sandwiches from Delivery Diner, if you want,” Link suggested, putting the milk into the fridge.

“Sounds good to me.”

After they ate their delicious brunch, the two continued to spend the afternoon together. They huddled on the couch to watch a few movies playing on TV, making funny comments on some parts, sharing thoughts on some of the characters, and sometimes even just talking over the movie. They later took out some board games that Link hasn’t played since he was in college. They both had a competitive edge that they both loved about the other, and had the most fun they’d had in years. Once they finished their game, Rhett offered to clean up their mess as Link left to use the restroom. Fortunately for him, it didn’t take long to put the pieces away. He wanted to take this opportunity to set up Link’s surprise. He only had about four minutes, so he wanted to get everything ready as quickly as possible.

He snatched the bags out from the closet and laid everything out on the dining table. He quickly put the rotisserie chicken in the microwave. While it heated up, he wrote a message on the inside of a blank thank you card, adding some quick doodles on the inside. He put the bottle of sparkling cider on the table, along with a vase he found under the sink. He cut the flower stems from the bouquet and puts them in the filled vase. He then took the chicken out of the microwave just before it would beep, and put it and some plates on the kitchen table. Just as he heard the bathroom door open, he rushed over to the cabinet and took two glasses out, along with some silverware, and put them on the table the second Link turned the corner to see his surprise. Link’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped open.

“Oh… my… God…”


	8. Chapter 8

“Surprise!” Rhett beamed, gesturing towards the adorned dinner arrangement.

Link’s astonished look quickly transitioned into a glistening smile. He was incredibly impressed at the sight before him. The only thing more impressive than the display on the dining table was the man beside it. There was a bright red tint to his smile as he bashfully looked to the ground.

“Rhett! What is all this?!” Link basked, shuffling his way over to the table. His eyes glazed over everything on the table. The scent of the hot rotisserie chicken made his mouth water and his stomach grumble. When he saw the carnations, he lifted the vase and brought them up for a smell. He went through all that trouble just to do this…for me? He felt a rush of heat, burning his cheeks at the thought.

“This is my way of thanking you for giving me so much kindness and hospitality…” Rhett answered. He focused his eyes on the glowing expression on the brunet’s face as he handed him the card, eagerly awaiting Link’s reaction as he read its contents aloud.

“Link… You’ve been nothing but kind to me, and I want to thank you for everything. Words cannot express how happy I am that we met. I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for you. Thank you. With love, Rhett…” Link read, eyes glistening with joy. His face lit up even more at the little doodle at the bottom of the card. The drawing was a decent, yet adorable depiction of the two of them playing their respective instruments side-by-side in front of the trunk of a large tree. “Aww… Rhett!” Link squeaked, turning his attention back to the taller man. “You’re the sweetest!!” He hastily wrapped his arms around Rhett’s chest with a squeeze. “Thank you so much!”

“Anything for you, Link,” Rhett responded genuinely as he brought his arms around the other man, resting one of his hands on the back of the brunet’s head. Link let go to fish for something in his pocket. Once he took out his phone, he wrapped an arm around Rhett again, turning his head slightly towards the phone held in his outstretched hand.

“I wanna commemorate this. Come closer,” Link said, still gracing his face with a broad smile. Rhett pushed his body closer into Link’s, and lightly touched the side of his face against Link’s head to fit in the frame. He wringed an arm around Link’s slim waist, letting his hand rest on his hip bone. Being this touchy with his host gave Rhett butterflies, and felt almost surreal. He couldn’t contain this level of euphoria, and was relieved to be able to use smiling for the camera as a cover. After a few pictures of just the two of them, Link took some more of the table arrangement and the inside of the thank you card. “These will be up on Facebook later,” Link commented, stuffing his phone back in his pocket before grabbing for a chair. Link stopped as Rhett hastily pulled it out for him like the gentleman he was. Link blushed as he sat down, laying his hungry eyes on the steaming rotisserie chicken in front of him. Rhett poured the sparkling cider in each of their glasses, and Link couldn’t help but watch as the little bubbles fizzed at the top.

For the most part, the two ate in comfortable silence, only sharing glances of pure joy and adoration. Rhett could hardly focus on his meal due to the smile Link kept flashing at him. His eyes seemed even brighter and bluer as they shimmered under the overhead light, and his mouth stretched across his glowing face to show white rows of teeth. Rhett would normally bask in the glory of Link’s smiles, but this one meant a lot more, and its image was engraving itself into his brain so he could remember it forever. Words wanted to escape his mouth, but his brain kept screaming to keep them inside. If he was to say anything, he felt the need to do so without being too forward or crossing the line. 

Eventually, he made his decision, and his words spilled with the same level of timidity as the moment when they first met.

“I… You…” he started. Link put his fork down and gave his full attention to the man across the table. “You really…” Link leaned forward slightly on the table. His eyes were fixated on Rhett’s, which almost made him forget what he was trying to say. “Your smile… really brightens the room,” he finally said. Link shot a lopsided grin at the random compliment as he let the other man continue. “… and… well, it really warms my heart… knowing I’m the cause of it.” Color rose to both men’s faces.

“Wow, Rhett…” Link commented softly, returning his gaze to Rhett’s. “I… I don’t… know what to say…” He turned his head to the side, still blushing, as his smile slowly broadened. After a moment of silence, he turned back to Rhett and spoke once again. “That’s really sweet.”

The two cleaned up their dishes and put away whatever chicken was left over before getting ready for bed. Just like the night before, Link went by to the sofa bed to wish Rhett a good night. He assisted the taller man in arranging the blankets on him perfectly before sitting beside him on the edge of the mattress.

“Thank you so much for the dinner,” Link said with a silky tone. “It was a nice surprise. I haven’t been this happy in ages. I’m glad you’re here with me instead of being all alone and cold in that alleyway.” He rested his hand on the blankets atop Rhett’s chest. The blonde was already starting to get worked up just at the very thought of him being back in that alley.

“I really can’t thank you enough for letting me stay here… and for taking care of me. I… I don’t know what would’ve happened to me if I had stayed out there during the storm.” Rhett bit his lip, trying not to get too emotional in front of him. “No one’s ever been as good to me as you have. Not even my own girlfriend…” Rhett started sniffling as his eyes quickly welled up.

Girlfriend… That word struck a painful chord in Link’s heart. He’s into women… Of course. I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up. 

“Then out of nowhere she just decides to break my heart and leave me to die alone in the streets… with nothing but the clothes on my back.” Rhett was sobbing uncontrollably at this point. Throwing all doubts aside, Link immediately jumped to comfort him, and without hesitation, he cupped Rhett’s face and wiped the tears away with his thumb as he leaned closer, basically hovering over his body.

“No, no… Don’t cry…” Link purred. “I can’t stand to see you so upset… Aww…” He continued rubbing the tears out of Rhett’s dilated jade eyes. “Why would she do that?” Rhett shook his head without a word as tears continued to stream down the sides of his face. “How could someone like your own girlfriend be so cruel to someone as sweet and gentle as you? You’re the sweetest… nicest… most amazing guy I’ve ever known… and you have so much talent… so much passion for who you are and what you do. You shouldn’t get that kind of treatment. You deserve nothing less than love.” Rhett’s eyes widened in response, giving him a sad puppy-eyed look that broke Link’s fragile heart.

Without even thinking about it, his face moved slightly closer. His lips twitched as his weight shifted nearer to the other man’s body. Their hearts raced together, eager to close the gap between them. Rhett nervously licked his lips open and their heavy breaths started to mix. Before they knew it, their mouths were locked together, both moaning in surprise at the sudden interaction. Their trembling lips moved hesitantly against each other’s. Rhett soon found one of his hands clasping Link’s jaw, pushing his face somehow closer. Eventually, Link pulled away, leaving Rhett in a daze. Their hearts were still racing, and Rhett’s mouth still trembled in desperation. Link let out a giddy chuckle as he took in the response he had gotten. He couldn’t believe he actually kissed him, but he was sure glad he did – especially since Rhett had kissed him back. Seeing the desire in those deep, jade eyes and his small open mouth begging for more attention made it difficult for him to resist jumping him right then and there. Holding back his innermost cravings, he caressed Rhett’s face once more with his thumb.

“Goodnight, Rhett,” Link hummed. Rhett couldn’t keep his eyes off the man before him and his heart kept beating faster and faster the further Link moved away. Link’s hand lingered as he got up, trailing his fingers down toward Rhett’s chest. Rhett snatched it there, pinning the soft hand down with a strong, trembling grip. Link jolted back and cooed internally at the trepidation in those big, puppy-dog eyes.

“Stay…” Rhett strained through forced exhalations, “… Please.” The blonde’s grip tightened until his knuckles turned white. Link knew he couldn’t leave him like this. Now that he knew what had been troubling him, he wanted to be there for him – to give him the strength and comfort he needed. Of course, he also wanted to feel those soft, pliant lips on his again, as well as explore the warm body underneath the sheets.

“Move over,” Link rasped, removing his robe once Rhett released his hand, and tossed it onto the recliner behind him before pulling the blankets back. Rhett hastened to scoot over to share his pillow. The brunet maneuvered his legs onto the mattress, and pulled the blankets over him. Rhett’s anticipation was eating him alive as he felt the urge to fully embrace the man before him.

“Can I touch you?” he asked in a staggered whisper. Link immediately wormed up against him and wrapped his arms around Rhett’s neck.

“Please do,” he pleaded before inhaling deeply, preparing for another kiss. Rhett didn’t hesitate to pull Link’s body closer as their lips smashed together once more, but with a lot more bravado and vivacity than the last one. Their anxiety was replaced by pure longing. Hands explored hungrily along their skin, hips grinded into each other, and their tongues tangled together as their mouths moved as one. All their pent up tension was finally released through that one kiss.

The rhythm of their kiss eventually slowed enough for them to speak between more, smaller kisses.

“This is so… surreal… This must be a dream,” Rhett purred, peppering more kisses on Link’s face. The brunet pinched the side of Rhett’s neck in return. “Ow, hey! What was that for?” Rhett laughed as he rubbed the afflicted spot.

“Just letting you know this is real,” Link snickered playfully as he left a trail of small pecks down Rhett’s jaw. He marveled at the tickling sensation his beard left on his skin. Rhett pulled Link closer once more for a short, sweet kiss.

“Goodnight, Link,” Rhett whispered as their swollen mouths drifted apart. He burrowed down into Link’s chest, giving his waist a gentle squeeze. It was a little strange seeing the taller man curled up in such a condensed position, but it warmed Link’s tender heart. He stroked the curls of Rhett’s unruly locks, relishing in the softness as he brushed them back, making them stand up on his head. All Link could do was smile as he lulled Rhett to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Link rose before the sun did the next morning. He stretched his back on the sofa bed, causing the man curled up on his bare chest to wake with the tiniest whimper. Rhett gripped Link’s torso more tightly and nuzzled against his taut chest.

“Oof,” Link responded with a chuckle. He brought his hand to the messy tufts of dirty blonde and massaged Rhett’s scalp. “Hey buddy… Am I a good pillow?” Rhett flipped his face to the other side so he could meet Link with a sleepy, one-eyed gaze. His face wore an expression equal to that of a child who didn’t want to get up for school.

“Yes,” Rhett mumbled softly. Link chortled in response to the raspy drowsiness in Rhett’s voice. The taller man squirmed up Link’s torso and planted a small kiss just to the side of his lips before dropping his head down against Link’s clavicle. He took a moment to revel in the warmth of the other’s body. “How long?” Rhett asked, his hot breath caressing the side of Link’s neck.

“How long what?”

“You know…” Rhett murmured as he fiddled with the dark curls adorning Link’s chest. Link knew what he was asking – he just needed a bit of time to think about his answer. His heavy sigh killed the silence before he spoke.

“Well… I liked you the second I matched your music to your face… but when we talked in the coffee shop… and you said you didn’t have much of a family anymore… I just…” Link trailed off, unable to put the rest of his thoughts into words. He gave up on that thought and moved to another one. “It’s weird… I almost feel like that song you played that day… was like – like my own personal summons.” He turned his head to see Rhett’s smiling face.

“What if I were to tell you it was?” the jade-eyed man responded.

“Wait, what do you mean?” Link turned completely on his side, releasing his body from the pressure Rhett was putting on him. Rhett laid on his back as he started his story.

_Link had caught his eye weeks ago – back when he was just kicked out of the home he and his girlfriend shared. He was at a stage of confusion from that day’s previous events. He didn’t know what caused her to get so unhappy about their relationship that would make her dump and evict him. Rhett knew he was a romantic, and felt he was treating her well enough… Rhett figured it had something to do with how he could never keep a job, but that wasn’t worth his punishment. He didn’t understand. She made it sound like his feelings weren’t true… like he was fooling himself about something. His brain hurt from contemplating the possibilities, so he tried not to dwell on it._

_He somehow found himself at the city park. The calm atmosphere seemed to call to him, so he kept moseying through. The people around him were nothing but blurbs of shapes and color, and their actions moved in blurs. It was almost as if he was trying to remove himself from reality, peeling every bit of his surroundings out of his way until he completely lost himself. He shook out of his daze and kept wandering until he encountered a group of shivering people all sitting against the rail of the bridge. They sat huddled together around a much older man, exhaling visible puffs of harsh, frozen air in the hopes of keeping warm under their tattered clothes. Rhett didn’t like passing by people in their state since he always felt guilty about never being able to help them. At that point, he regretted all the chances he had to help before he ended up being one of them. Their miserable, desperate expressions mirrored that of the tall blonde, and Rhett’s whole body tensed up not knowing what to do._

_“I’m sorry,” he muttered before rushing away, ducking into the crowd. Minutes rolled by, and Rhett watched the huddling group from a frosted, stone bench across the courtyard. He cringed and winced at every person who laughed or spat in their faces. Some better-dressed man even knocked their cans over as he ignorantly carried himself across the bridge. At this point, Rhett came to the conclusion that these city-folk had no patience or room in their heart for compassion or empathy. He sighed heavily, believing this to be true. His thoughts were soon swayed at the sudden sight on the bridge._

_A figure nearly as tall as Rhett entered the scene, kneeling down before the group of shivering homeless. The huddled individuals dispersed slightly, exposing the elder man from his protection. The mysterious raven-haired man removed his large, puffy jacket and moved forward to fit it on the shuddering elder. His frantic fidgeting soon died down. His gaze met with the stranger’s, and he beamed brightly before resting a bony, wrinkled hand on one of the man’s broad shoulders. The group moved back together and added their thanks to the mix. The dark-haired angel stood in his place and bowed his head before heading out of the park._

_It was that one gesture – that one act of kindness that inspired the gentle giant. They never even interacted, yet the man had taken hold of Rhett’s heart… and neither of them had noticed. He wanted to run after the now jacketless man, but some unknown force was stopping him, like his feet forgot how to move suddenly. He hoped it was just nerves and not frostbite, but they regained their ability shortly after the angel had left._

_Rhett ended up staying at that park, and soon grew more comfortable around the homeless group – mostly because he knew they were wonderful people who gave him the support he needed, but a part of him had the feeling that these people would somehow help lead him to that man again. He would, as often as he could, treat them to donuts, as well as quietly sing to them to put them at ease. Frequently, the others would join in, earning them a bit of coin to use for more food. Since he didn’t have a job or much money on him, Rhett soon went bankrupt and could barely get by on his share of the coin they’d receive. Out of shame, he stopped hanging around them and panhandled in silence on another part of the park._

_There was one day when one of the youngest of the homeless group found Rhett sulking silently by a tree in the way back of the park. She handed him an old guitar, claiming its owner, James – the eldest of the group – had passed away earlier that morning. The others talked and agreed that Rhett should have it. James had felt almost like a father to him, and remembered that day when the angel man gave him his jacket. He took the guitar with pride, thanking the girl before she scurried back to the bridge to her mommy and sister._

_To Rhett’s surprise, his guitar-playing skills came to him easily, and he was playing like a pro in no time. He started moving towards the crowds again, but tentatively, as he played to his heart’s content to the few people who would listen as they passed him by, sometimes dropping a quarter or so in a box he scrounged for in an alleyway he started sleeping in. During one of his daily jam sessions, he heard a familiar voice bellowing not too far from him. He stopped playing and followed the voice until he found the very person who sent butterflies loose in Rhett’s stomach. His raven-haired angel snatched a purse away from a shady-looking teenager in a hoodie. His lectures echoed over the bustle of the crowd as he handed the purse to a young woman. The hooded teen hunched and cowered in embarrassment before running off. Rhett had never seen anyone be so bold. He wanted to be just like him._

_This man… this being of light… was his muse and inspiration, and he wanted to tell him that._

_He needed to tell him that._

_Every day, Rhett would make an effort to see his raven-haired angel, but whenever he got the chance he’d be too nervous to approach him. He wasn’t good with talking to other people, and was afraid he’d embarrass himself. Eventually, he gave up on his pursuit, thinking it was a lost cause to try to meet him. He moved back to his special place behind the oak tree in the back of the park, where he played his heart and soul in solitude. He could be himself without fear of being judged or rejected by anyone._

_That was when he appeared._

_The sound of leaves crunching under sneakers caught Rhett’s attention. When he saw the man approach, he was frozen to the core, wondering if it was all real. The golden evening sun glowed behind the approaching angel’s broad shoulders and made Rhett feel weak. His heart throbbed with every step the man took, sweat formed from his brow regardless of the chill in the air, and heat rose to his entire face as his breathing hitched. Not knowing how to react to the situation, Rhett fled the scene as fast as he could, running all the way back to his alleyway to deal with his emotions._

_After spending the whole night collecting himself, Rhett returned to the park the next day, hoping to see the man again. Before he knew it, the sun was setting and the magnificent creature Rhett had been pining after for weeks had not shown up. At this point, he figured he was going crazy. There was no way that the man he had dreamed about nearly every night would actually approach him… especially on his own accord. Rhett packed up his guitar and started to go back to the alley…_

_… until a hand firmly took hold of his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. When he turned and saw the angel’s face, he couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t escape the intense gaze in the shorter man’s vibrant blue eyes perfectly framed by thick, rectangular rims._

_In a desperate need of air, and out of sheer nervousness, he shook out of Link’s grasp and attempted to run off again. He didn’t make it very far before he was called to stop. He didn’t even think about it. His feet obeyed the smooth voice and stayed in place as though anchors were tied to them. Hearing that voice being directed at him made Rhett’s head spin, half in disbelief. When the angel caught up to him and asked him his name, Rhett didn’t know what to say or how to respond. It was like he suddenly forgot how to talk, breathe, or even blink. He nearly forgot what his own name was. He forced his name through trembling, chapped lips, and was glad he finally said something to him. It lifted so much weight off his shoulders to speak to his idol, even if it meant nothing compared to what he really wanted to tell him. When the shorter man repeated Rhett’s name, he could’ve melted right there if he hadn’t run off again._

_Once again, Rhett got through the night without much, if any, sleep. He had spent that whole night reliving the encounter in his mind, constantly hearing the man’s honey-sweet voice glaze over the ambience of the park and echo his name. He promised himself that he wouldn’t run away if he ever got to see him again… that is, if he didn’t already offend his angel enough by running away from him twice. Rhett returned to his tree in the park the next day. As he sat there with his back lounging against the ridged bark of the trunk and playing away, a soft whistling sound merged in harmony with the vibrating coils of his guitar. It was like his stringed melody was the midst of a melancholy rainstorm, and the woodwind countermelody was the sun shining and clearing the storm into little trickles of shimmering drops._

_After a while, Rhett returned to reality and stopped playing to find the source of the magnificent music on the opposite side of the tree. Nerves twitched and danced throughout his body as he recognized the beautiful person playing away at a cream-colored recorder. His nimble fingers confidently moved on and off the open holes along the body, and his lips gently massaged the mouthpiece as he played. Rhett was frozen in shock, yet smiling like a child in a theme park. He was ecstatic that the man he admired shared the same passion for music as he did, and even wanted to accompany him. When the raven-haired beauty stopped playing and caught Rhett staring at him, Rhett knew for sure that his feelings for this mysterious man were more than just admiration, but a fixation beyond his control._

Rhett’s heart fluttered at the gleaming, blue eyes beside him. The brunet’s cheeks were rose-tinted as he gave Rhett a smile warm enough to melt even the coldest heart.

“I didn’t know I meant that much to you,” Link responded in a half-whisper. He leaned closer and gave Rhett a soft, tender kiss. Link was completely mind-blown at how much of an impact he was on this man’s life – even before taking him into his home, and was overjoyed that their infatuation was mutual. “Oh, Rhett, I…” Link chuckled softly mid-sentence. “I’m glad. I’m glad we met.” A happy silence hung between them for a moment as Link pulled the taller man closer until their torsos met. “This? What we have here? I wanted so bad, but never had I expected that you’d like me back.” A calm smile slowly appeared on the blonde’s face.

“Really?” Rhett asked. “I thought it was obvious…”

“Well, I… I had my suspicions, but then… Last night, when you mentioned your… your girlfriend… I…” Link’s thoughts were interrupted by a boisterous laugh.

“Oh wow, you thought I was straight?!” Rhett laughed. “Nah, man. It’s 2015. I’m open-minded. I like what I like.” He finished with a wink.

“So I guess brown hair, glasses, and kindness is your type?” Link asked, jokingly, earning a laugh from both of them.

“I dunno… I like to think of it as… a set of boxes. There’s a yes box, a no box, and a… meh... box,” Rhett positioned his arms as if he were sorting invisible boxes in the air.

“And which box am I in?”

“You’re in the heck yes box,” Rhett responded, suddenly reaching for Link’s stomach, tickling the bare skin with his long fingers. Link jolted forward in an attempt to shield his sensitive stomach, laughing uncontrollably and telling Rhett to stop. He only stopped when Link grabbed his hands tightly and held them away from his torso. Their laughter soon faded, and Link noticed the clock on the wall across the room.

“Ah, shoot. As much as I’d like to stay and cuddle and be tickled to death, I gotta get to work. It’s Monday,” the brunet stated with a sigh. The tired blonde whined in return.

“So I’m gonna be all by myself all day?” Rhett mumbled, running his hands through his messy hair. Link got up from the bed and took his robe off the chair.

“You could come with me if you want. I’d just have to sign you in as a guest,” Link suggested, looking back at the taller man on the sofa bed. Rhett’s comfort dropped at the idea of making an appearance at a school. He wasn’t sure if he was able to deal with being in front of other people, even if they were a bunch of third-graders. But then again, he’d get to spend more time with Link and learn more about his job. Who knows? Maybe the school could offer him a job if they were hiring. Link stood there patiently awaiting a reply. He couldn’t stay forever, though.

“I don’t think it would be appropriate for someone to walk into a children’s school in their pajamas, though…” Rhett said with a nervous chuckle, leaving the decision up to Link, who answered without hesitation.

“I have some clothes that are kinda big on me that might fit you. Come with me. We’ll try them on.” With that, Link headed down the hall and into his room. Rhett remained on the mattress, still contemplating if he should go with him or not.


	10. Chapter 10

Link gathered the students in a circle on the classroom carpet like he did every day. The twenty of them plopped down in their usual, presumably favorite, spots. Everything was going how it normally would on a school day, except today was different. Today was special. The lot of the students took notice of a figure hiding behind the piano on the other side of the room. Link laughed when little Charlotte called him out.

“I want you all to meet a very special friend of mine. He’s gonna sit in on today’s lesson,” Link answered with a broad grin. He turned to the person sitting at the piano. “Aren’t you, Rhett?” The shy blonde hesitated for a moment, staring at the children with wide, terrified eyes. “Come on over and sit down with us, will ya? These are third-graders! They’re not gonna eat you or anything!” The students giggled in response as the man dipped down behind the piano to hide himself completely. Link asked the girl next to him, Abby, to go fetch Rhett from behind the piano. She jumped to the task immediately.

She giggled when she found the shy, bearded man curled up under the keys. His big, jade eyes peered up and met her sweet, gentle brown ones as she held her tiny hand out to him. He hesitated before finally enveloping his giant hand around hers. Abby smiled before moving back to help him out.

“You remind me of my kitten,” she commented. Her light voice sung sweetly in Rhett’s ears as he slowly rose to his feet. All the students, including Abby, stared at Rhett with wide eyes, marveling in the incredible height of the stranger who practically towered over the room. The giant timidly followed the little blonde girl to where the others were, and sat amongst them in the circle, right across from Link, who handed him a spare recorder from his bag.

“I don’t have any extra books, so maybe you can share with Avery. The boy next to Rhett scooted his opened lesson book over so they could both look at it at the same time.

Link continued his lesson, merrily showing the kids – and Rhett – some new fingerings for newly learned notes as well as new time signatures. He had them play short example pieces all together until they all got it right. Throughout the lesson, he’d glance over at Rhett, who slowly grew more comfortable around the students. He even started playing poorly on purpose and asking his neighbors to help while commenting on how good they were. The students seemed to really like their teacher’s surprise guest, and watching his lover interact with them so well made Link smile, imagining their future selves having a family together. Link had always loved kids, and wondered if Rhett would be up to raising a couple if they ever got married. His happy thoughts were interrupted by his phone alarm, signaling the ‘ten minutes remaining’ mark before that morning’s class would be over for the day.

“Okay, guys. We have ten more minutes. You know what that means. Who thinks they’re ready for a quick performance?” Link announced, scanning the room as most of the class shot their hands up, eagerly hoping to be called on. “How ‘bout we make it a duet for today, since we have a guest? Who’d like to play a duet with Mr. Rhett?” A lot of the students got more excited and added their hands to the mix. When Link finally called on Heather, she and Rhett stood up and moved to where Link was as the rest of the class got settled. Link quickly found a duet from his lesson book and put it up on the teacher’s stand.

“You can take the top part,” Rhett said in a higher-pitched, almost childlike voice. “I’m not good enough to take on the lead yet.” Heather giggled in agreement, pushing her red hair out of her face and over her shoulder.

“You count off,” she suggested. Rhett cooed internally at how adorable her little voice was, and readied his posture as he studied the page.

“Okay,” Rhett squeaked. He began tapping his foot for a while before counting off, initiating the song. Heather played quite well, nailing nearly all the notes but breathing after almost every couple notes. Rhett’s phrases were easily held longer due to his height, but his tone wasn’t nearly as controlled as the little girl’s… not to mention he missed a lot more notes due to lack of wind instrument and sight-reading experience. Their duet was performed quite decently, and they took a bow when they finished, earning an enthusiastic applause from their peers. It wasn’t much longer until the bell rang, signaling the start of the first lunch wave. The students quickly scrambled out of the classroom with their recorders and lesson books in hand.

“Looks like you had fun today,” Link commented with a smirk as he strolled over to meet Rhett at the teacher’s stand. “I think the kids really like you.” He wrapped his arms loosely around Rhett’s waist. The taller of the two blushed at the touch before putting his arms around Link’s waist in return.

“You think so?” Rhett asked with a bright smile. His cheeks perked up so high his eyes squinted a bit. “They were all staring at me! I was so nervous!”

“Well of course they were staring at you! You’re half a foot away from seven feet tall! Not to mention that scene you caused earlier,” Link chuckled. Rhett giggled back, recalling how childish he was acting at the start of class. Their moment was briefly interrupted by a tiny voice.

“Excuse me… Mr. Rhett?” the little girl squeaked. The two men abruptly let go of each other as they noticed Abby beside them. After a moment to collect himself, Rhett kneeled down to meet the young blonde’s height.

“Hey, Abster. What’s up?” he asked softly, looking her directly in the eye with a calm puppy-dog look. The little girl rocked back and forth on the heels of her sneakers.

“I just wanted to say that it was really nice to meet you today… and I hope you’ll come visit us again next week.” Her shy little voice chimed sweetly in Rhett’s ears. Link found the whole situation incredibly adorable, and he had to refrain from cooing at their exchange.

“You know what? Maybe I will,” Rhett answered, ruffling Abby’s bright blonde hair, making her giggle. She clapped excitedly at his reply and started for the door with a skip in her step.

“Then I’ll see you next week, Mr. Rhett!” she cheered. She stopped right at the doorframe and moved back into the room like she forgot something. “Also…” she started, “… you guys are really cute.” With that, she scuffled away, leaving the two men blushing uncontrollably in the now empty classroom.

“She’s a little sweetie pie, isn’t she?” Link asked, reaching for Rhett’s hand to pull him back into their embrace.

“They’re all great. That went a lot better than I thought it would.”

“What’d I tell you?” Link asked with a laugh. He quickly raised himself on the tips of his toes to plant a firm peck on Rhett’s smiling lips.

Once the school day ended, the two walked back hand-in-hand back to Link’s house. The brunet was still giddy from everything that happened earlier that day, and constantly shot loving gazes at his tall partner as their feet seemed to walk in perfect synchronization. He wanted dearly to do something to surprise Rhett, just as he did for him last night. His mind filled rapidly with ideas, but in order to get everything set up just the way he imagined, he would have to get Rhett out of the house for a couple hours. Once they arrived at their destination, Link figured out a plan that he thought might work out nicely.

“Oh, shoot…” Link grumbled, taking his jacket off. Rhett threw a concerned and confused look at him. “I just remembered… I need to pick up some things at Target.”

“Do you wanna quickly stop by?” Rhett asked.

“I can’t. My mother’s gonna swing by tomorrow, so I gotta spruce up the place. She has a dust allergy, so I gotta make sure the house is bearable for her,” Link lied as he crashed down onto the recliner and kicked his boots off.

“Well, what do you need? I’ll go pick up the stuff you need,” Rhett offered, patting Link on the back.

“That would actually be great. Thank you, Rhett. I’ll write everything down on a list for you.” He promptly got up and scribbled random grocery items on a thin slip of paper, and handed it to Rhett, along with a couple hundred dollar bills.

“This is a lot of money for just a couple items, don’t you think?” Rhett asked, glaring at the brunet.

“Well, since my mother’s coming over, you’re gonna need some clothes of your own, rather than old hand-me-down sweatpants that just barely fit you.” The two chuckled at the comment in agreement.

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” Rhett replied, pocketing the list and cash in his borrowed jacket. “I’ll be back in a couple hours.” He took a firm hold of Link’s shoulders and planted a chaste kiss upon his lips before he headed back outside.

With that, Link made haste to start his preparations, figuring he only had two hours before Rhett would be back.


	11. Chapter 11

Rhett returned later that evening with his arms full of bags of clothes and food. Regardless of the pressure on his arms, there’s a spring in his step and whistling air chiming through his lightly separated lips. When he entered the house, he placed the bags down by the door as he gaped around the room. His brows furrowed and he got a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. He squinted as he took off his sneakers and jacket. Something just wasn’t right.

“Link?” Rhett called.

There was no answer.

He wandered more into the living room and suddenly noticed a sight that made his mind spiral. The sofa bed had been folded back into the frame… just as it was before Rhett started staying with Link. His nerves tensed up in worry as he tried to come up with a reasonable explanation.

“He… said he was cleaning… He must’ve just folded it away to vacuum or something… and forgot to put it back…” His cranium began pounding as he ruffled his sock against the carpet, kicking a bit of dirt and dust into the air. With that, he scratched vacuuming off the list of possibilities. As he continued scanning the interior, he noticed almost nothing was cleaned in the main room… and Link seemed to not be home. But he couldn’t have gone out because the front door was left unlocked. Rhett went around to the side of the couch that touched the wall, where he usually kept his guitar. To his surprise, it was gone.

Panic quickly swept through his thoughts as one of his worst fears seemed to be coming true. He tried fighting his extreme thoughts, but all reason was upstaged by the throbbing in his head and his blood pressure rising.

“LINK?!?!” he cried, practically throwing himself across the main room and into the hallway. He burst through the restroom door with burning red eyes and balled fists. He could barely see his reflection in the mirror through his quickly flooding eyes.

What had I done wrong?! Did I come on too strong? Did Link lie about his feelings and get grossed out? He must think I’m a creep!! I never should’ve told him…

Rhett’s thoughts trailed off as tears spilled rampantly from his burning eyes.

“Oh, Link…” he whimpered under uncontrollable sniffles and cries. “No…”

Suddenly, a head peeked in from the door frame. It was adorned with flippy dark brown hair, square-rimmed glasses, and a big set of headphones.

“Rhett?” Link called softly, taking the headphones off his ears to rest at the base of his neck. “Babe, what’s wrong?” He moved further into the restroom.

“Leave me alone!” Rhett kept repeating as he tried to maneuver around him, but was soon cornered over by the toilet. He attempted to grab at and push away Link’s arms, but the brunet foiled his feeble attempts and pinned his wrists against the restroom wall. “Let go of me!!”

“Rhett? Rhett!!! Look at me!” Link’s face grew stern. When Rhett complied, he felt his soul being reprimanded by the firm gaze of those icy blue irises. Link’s heart tore apart at the sight of the taller man’s tears pouring down his cheeks and soaking the neck of the shirt he was wearing. Instinctively, the brunet coddled Rhett’s face to wipe it dry as the blonde continued to bawl uncontrollably. Link felt like he, himself, could cry just from watching those heavy tears drop from those shimmering, quivering, jade eyes.

“Liiink…” Rhett whispered through staggered sobs, trying to wiggle his head away from the brunet’s soft, loving hands.

“Oh, Rhett… What’s wrong?” Link asked in the softest voice he could manage. He reached for Rhett’s face again in the attempt to continue wiping his tears away. “It’s okay. Tell me what’s the matter…”

Rhett took a deep, choppy breath and whispered with a slight creakiness in his voice, “You’re kicking me out…” The cracks in Link’s heart ripped open even more. He wrapped his arms around the taller man’s waist to comfort him further.

“Ohh… Oh, no… Because of the bed thing? Aww, it’s okay… It’s just a misunderstanding… Come on, babe, would I kick you out? After my favorite person in the world made me the happiest I’ve been in years?” He holds the blonde tighter, pressing the side of his head against Rhett’s shoulder as their chests united. “Aw, come here.”

With that, Rhett finally gave in and hugged his partner back, nuzzling against the silky, dark hair upon the top of the shorter man’s head. They squeezed each other tight, rocking together from side to side. Tears began to plummet onto Link’s shoulder and back as the brunet clutched at Rhett’s shirt around his shoulder blades.

“I can’t go back to that alley,” Rhett whispers through heartbroken tears.

“I wouldn’t let you if you wanted to,” Link replied, letting a couple tears stream down his own face. “I care about you too much to let you face the world all by yourself.” Rhett squeezed Link even tighter, pressing a chaste kiss against the top of his partner’s head. “Oh, Rhett… I wanted to surprise you,” Link mumbled against the nook of the taller man’s neck before planting a small kiss on his pulse. “I folded up the sofa bed because I want to share my room with you. That way, you can cuddle with me every night.” Rhett’s eyes calmed down a bit, slowly stopping more tears from falling. He wiped away any remaining salty wetness from his burning face. “I want you to stay here with me, Rhett. Do you… Do you like that idea?”

“You… You want us to live together?” Rhett asked, still a bit sniffly and with difficulty keeping his breathing steady. “Like… as…?” Link pulled away just enough to see a smile forming on his beloved’s reddened face. Their eyes met as Link grinned back, waiting to hear the rest of Rhett’s question. “As boyfriends?” Rhett chuckled a bit at how foreign that last word sounded to him. Sure, he was bisexual, but he had never been in a serious relationship with another guy before. Being able to ask that question made him feel all giddy, and his heart raced in anticipation as he awaited Link’s answer.

“Of course,” the brunet replied softly, sustaining his vibrant smile. His glorious, white teeth shone through lightly parted lips. More tears started pouring down Rhett’s face as he captured Link’s lips with his own.

“I’d love that,” Rhett whispered as they both peppered each other’s faces with sweet, ticklish kisses.

“You’re getting my face all wet. Are you still crying?”

“I can’t stop!” the blonde laughed, wiping his face dry with his arm. Link joined in with more laughter as he squeezed Rhett closer and nuzzled up against his chest.

“I’m sorry I scared you with the bed thing. I didn’t think you’d take it the way you did. I’m so sorry.” Rhett lifted Link’s face up to his, meeting in a long, sweet kiss. Once they broke away, Link playfully tapped his finger against the tip of the taller man’s nose. “And no more crying. It breaks my heart to see you like this.” The two giggle softly to each other.

“I’ll try,” Rhett answered with the tiniest chuckle as he brushed the dark hair off to the side of Link’s forehead.

“I, uh… had another surprise for you…” Link muttered nervously as his face tinted red. “But, uh, after an episode like that… I’m not sure if you’ll be up for it.” Rhett perked his head up and into a curious tilt. “It, uh… also involves our bedroom,” Link hinted with a single waggle of his dark eyebrows. The blonde immediately blushed at the suggestion, paying no attention to the eager grin forming on his own face. He let out a quick, breathy chuckle that caught Link’s attention. “What was that for?”

Rhett’s blushing intensified as he wriggled his hips closer to the smaller man. “Well… Maybe I am up for it,” he chimed, winking at the brunet before him. “I’m feeling a lot better now… and I wanna see what else you have for me.”

“You really like presents, don’tcha, babe?” Link asked with a flirty snicker as he gently slid his hand down one of the blonde’s long arms. “Come on. I’ll show you to… our... room.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little rating warning for the next part. Chapter 12 contains explicit content, so if that's not something you're comfortable reading, you may skip ahead to the last chapter. However, you may want to know what the other part of Link's present was. You could either read the first few hundred words of the chapter, or just ask me somehow (I'm still new to AO3).


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another word of warning: This chapter contains explicit content

Link led his taller partner into their newly shared room. Rhett gazed at his surroundings as if he was seeing the bedroom for the first time. The blinds were all the way up, letting the golden evening sun shine through the front window and onto the soft, blue, polyester comforter neatly arranged on the double bed. There was a candle burning on the dresser by the opposite side of the bed, filling the room with its citrusy aroma. In front of the window lied a long end table. The bottom shelf held a couple framed photographs, while the glass top housed what looked like Rhett’s guitar. It looked a little different to Rhett somehow. Link trotted over to it while calling Rhett over for a better look. When he stepped forward, he couldn’t believe what he saw. The dents were filled, the scratches were buffed and sanded out, the fret board was cleaned and polished, and his strings were replaced.

“I did this myself. It took most of the time you were gone,” Link said, admiring the flabbergasted expression on his lover’s face. “The strings I had to buy. Vintage bronze. Hex core. I’ve noticed how much you like sustain, so I figured I’d get the best for the job.” Link took the headphones off his neck and placed them, along with the music device in his pocket on the dresser behind him.

“How do you know so much about guitars?!” Rhett asked. His amazement was still evident in his higher-pitched tone as he continued to admire the instrument without touching it.

“Well, I did go to college in music, you know. In order to have gotten my job, I had to learn how to play and care for every instrument.”

“Good point,” Rhett commented. “Can I?” He held his hands out towards the guitar.

“Not yet. The filler’s still drying.”

Rhett continued admiring the room when a sudden thought came to mind. “Oh, hey. I just remembered something. You still haven’t played your recorder for me.” Link swayed his hips as he moved toward the blonde, slowly sliding his hand down the length of Rhett’s arm, sending chills to the taller man.

“How ‘bout I play your recorder instead?” the brunet growled, moving his hands to Rhett’s chest. His fingers tugged at the shirt as he clutched his firm pectorals, eliciting a hiss-like gasp through clenched teeth.

“Oh, uh, okay,” Rhett answered with a blush. A smile crept on his eager face as the shorter of the two gently led Rhett to the foot of the bed, where he was laid down onto his back. He couldn’t contain his excitement as Link began moving his hands slowly against the front of Rhett’s pelvis, tingling the skin around his groin.

“How’re ya doing?” Link asked in a sensual whisper. “This feel good?”

“Oh, yes,” the taller of the two responded with a hum of satisfaction. His breathing started to get heavy as Link’s fingers lightly dragged to the center of Rhett’s pelvis, kneading the soft appendage underneath the fabric. Soft hums emanated from the relaxed blonde as Link’s hands were going to town on his member. His hips jerked unintentionally, and Link took that as his cue to give him more. He slipped a couple fingers underneath the waistline of the sweatpants Rhett was still wearing, and looked up to make eye contact with his lover. Once he nodded, the brunet proceeded to slide the warm fleece down Rhett’s thighs, revealing a tight pair of red briefs that hugged the taller man’s thick manhood.

“I see this instrument’s still in its case,” Link commented with a hungry smirk as he admired the bulge trying to press through the confounded cotton. Link turned his focus back to Rhett’s face for a moment as he continued, “I think it’s time to get warmed up and ready for the big performance… Don’t you, Rhett?” The blonde’s face tingled as his complexion grew increasingly redder. He vigorously nodded his head, maintaining eye contact with his thirsty partner. With that, Link kneeled between Rhett’s legs and gently gnawed at his groin through the thin briefs, teasing Rhett into shivers.

“Oh-hoho, gosh…” Rhett whined. He could feel the other man’s teeth lightly scaling his member, sending sparks of electricity through every nerve in his body. Every kiss, lick, and nibble made Rhett get antsy. He wanted more, and Link could tell by the amount of pressure his groin was putting against the fabric. “Link… You… You can’t play my recorder if it’s still in the case,” Rhett groaned between heavy breaths.

Link chuckled in response to Rhett’s plea. “You know… it’s pretty hot seeing you, uh, using my case, babe… as much as it doesn’t quite fit.” Rhett whined more, bucking his hips up off the mattress. “But you’re right. I can’t warm up this wonderful instrument like this.” With that, Link dragged and slid his palms up the taller man’s thighs and hooked his fingers around the waistband. He slid the now slightly damp article of clothing down Rhett’s pelvis, slowly revealing the thick, heavy arousal that was hiding underneath. The blonde’s face somehow brightened its reddish hue as he started feeling vulnerable and exposed with his crotch standing at attention to the man before him. He hoped he liked what he was seeing.

“I wonder what kind of sounds this instrument makes when I blow into the headpiece…” Link commented with a smirk as he took in the delectable sight of his boyfriend all sprawled out and exposed from the waist down. He keenly watched Rhett’s face as he leaned down, taking the base of the taller man’s member with both hands. Both thumbs and index fingers wrapped around the skin as he slid them up the shaft. Once his fingertips settled into place, Link licked his plump, pink lips and wrapped them around the head. His tongue slipped underneath the opening, sliding back and forth against the sensitive skin. Rhett shuddered with a tenor moan as he felt Link puffing out exhales of hot air, continuously sucking and licking while doing so. The brunet’s fingers massaged the shaft as if he was a flautist warming up their fingers for a solo in a Mozart composition.

Rhett’s reactions were sputtered frantically, surprising himself at how unusually vocal he was. The room became a symphony of moans that quickly built to a mind-blowing crescendo that sent chills down Link’s back. Rhett was entirely impressed with Link’s work, never having felt anything like this. The sensations were overwhelming him with satisfying, electric waves repeatedly spreading throughout his body.

After a couple minutes, Link withdrew his hands and mouth, leaving Rhett whining and panting desperately. The brunet removed Rhett’s shirt as he crawled up the taller man’s body, finally straddling his waist. Rhett moaned and hummed happily into his lover’s kiss, groping at the smaller man’s hips.

The taller man gasped at the teasing motion of Link rocking his hips against Rhett’s throbbing arousal.

“What’s wrong, Rhett?” Link whispered slyly. “I know you wanna tell me something.”

“Ah… I…” Rhett was able to get out through his hitching breaths. “I… need…”

“I know, babe… but can you hold your applause for after the concert? The band has only just warmed up,” Link whispered, caressing the side of the blonde’s face before kissing his lips ever so sweetly. “Now let me oil your valves.” Link slunk back off the foot of the bed, and then crouched down until his lover’s anus was directly at eye level. He licked his swollen lips at the sight of that tempting ring of muscle before plunging his long, agile tongue inside.

“WHOAAA GOSH!!!” Rhett yelped, jerking his hips at the strange, foreign sensation. The feeling wasn’t unpleasant, but this was new to him and he knew what would happen next, making him feel quite nervous. During the few times he had intercourse with another man, Rhett was always the giver, not the taker. Long ago, he had made the decision to give himself some sexual limits to keep pure until marriage. If he were to spend the rest of his life with another man, he would save his anal virginity for the one he would spend the rest of his life with. Although he did have strong feelings for Link, he would wait until they were wed to give himself completely to him. Just in case things didn’t end up working out between them.

“Liiink…?” the nervous blonde squeaked, clenching his entrance as hard as he could. The brunet stopped and shot Rhett a confused and concerned look. “I, uh… I’m not… comfortable… being penetrated like this just yet.” Link’s expression grew a bit more confused, tilting his head to the side a bit. “I’m saving that part of myself for marriage.” Rhett instantly held his breath as he anticipated a response from Link.

Link’s expression immediately changed to a surprised look before settling on a warm smile. “Aw, really? Wow… That’s actually really sweet, Rhett.” The taller man sighed of relief as his lips quickly formed a blissful smile. “We could do something else, if you’d like. Are you comfortable topping? ‘Cause I wouldn’t mind having this voluptuous piece of work up my ass,” Link asked, giving Rhett’s member a brief, gentle squeeze. The taller man chuckled in response as he sat himself up.

“As you wish, love,” Rhett replied softly, gazing into the other man’s gleaming cerulean eyes. “How do you want to be prepped?” Link stood still in thought for a moment before he shuffled over to his nightstand, opening the top drawer to remove a small bottle and a square wrapper. He tossed the items beside Rhett on the bed before rapidly removing his glasses and clothing, tossing the pieces of fabric over to where Rhett’s clothes laid on the carpet.

“I keep having this dream…” Link started, heat flooding his face without mercy, “where you finger me the way you strum your guitar.” Rhett was surprised at the fantasy, and blushed ravenously at the remarkable visuals the suggestion brought to his mind. The eager brunet hopped onto the bed with utmost excitement, climbing onto Rhett’s lap with his legs wide open. He reached aside for the small bottle, squirting the cool, slick substance into Rhett’s right hand. “I know you don’t use valve oil on a guitar,” Link laughed, “but my strings could be loosened up a bit… if you catch my drift.” The brunet slipped a wink at his partner, who sat there with nerves jittering like seeds in a maraca.

“Do your… strings need tuning?” Rhett asked, smiling like a fool now that it was his turn to make the musical euphemisms. The smaller man smiled with a cocked brow. The blonde pulled their bare chests together and merged their hungry lips, relentlessly intertwining their tongues and nibbling at each other’s lips. With his dry hand, Rhett pulled Link’s head aside to kiss a trail to one of his ears. His other hand moved around the smaller man, reaching for Link’s back door. Just as his cool, lubricated fingers made contact with the muscle, his teeth nipped at his lover’s earlobe – twisting and turning his head in different angles as his fingers massaged the tight orifice. Link shuddered loudly at the double stimulation, grasping desperately at Rhett’s shoulder blades for support.

“Ooh, that’s a little out of tune there…” Rhett growled, moving his mouth to the outer cartilage of Link’s ear before licking at the entrance to the canal, all the while pressing his index finger through Link’s now lubricated entrance. Link immediately yelped at the contact as goose bumps spread throughout the whole side of his body. The sudden ominous tone in the blonde’s voice came from nowhere, and it exhilarated Link’s senses. “That’s better,” Rhett rasped, trailing his unoccupied hand to the back of Link’s neck, and pressing his callused fingertips against the smooth skin to massage the muscles underneath.

Another finger was inserted, eliciting a warm groan from the brunet’s throat. The hand behind his neck brought more goose bumps to his hot skin. His breath got increasingly heavy, and salty bullets of sweat beaded around his ebony brows. The long, rough fingers wiggled and stretched inside of him, and the sensation was making his knees tremble under his weight. Rhett slipped in one last finger, stretching the ring of muscle even further. Link moaned startlingly louder over Rhett’s shoulder, digging his fingers hard enough to cause bruises on the taller man’s skin.

The fingers on the back of Link’s neck tickled, massaged, and groped at an accelerating speed. The ones inside his lover strummed against the brunet’s prostate, causing Link to wiggle and shudder. After a couple minutes of this, Link felt he was ready.

“R… Rhe… Rhett!!” the brunet whined.

“Gotcha.” The blonde retracted his fingers and laid Link down on his back with his legs dangling off the foot of the bed… similarly to the way Link laid him out before. Rhett got up off the bed and examined the square wrapper Link put on the bed earlier. “What kind is this?” he asked.

“It’s studded!” Link said, a little too loudly as he tried to control his heavy breathing. Rhett widened his eyes at the object in his hand, imagining how the texture would feel. “I… I wanna… I wanna put it on… Come here.” The blonde kneeled on the mattress as he handed Link the package. He gave himself a couple strokes as he watched the disheveled brunet open the wrapper. “Come here, babe.” Link’s movements were very unsteady and flighty, much like if he were heavily intoxicated, as he shifted towards Rhett. He grasped the erection before him and planted a tiny kiss on the very tip, and then lifted the rubber at the ready. “Is… Is there a good musical euphemism for this? I… My brain’s too broken to come up with anything.”

“I don’t know… maybe? I’m a little loopy too, so…” Rhett giggled, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

“Okay then… so… Here’s… this… thing…” Link said, failing at his attempts to stifle his laughter. They both burst into an uncontrollable wave of laughter. “It’s a condom! Ughhhh… WHY CAN’T I THINK OF ANYTHING CLEVER?!?!” Their laughs started to get so intense that their sides started to hurt a little. Once their outburst of stupidity subsided, they were ready to pick up from where they left off.

Link slowly unrolled the textured rubber onto his partner’s member. Rhett’s nerves twitched as he watched the brunet go through the process. Once it was completely applied, the taller man pulled the other up for a kiss before pinning him back down onto the bed. Link’s legs spread apart, eagerly awaiting his lover’s entrance. Taking his cue, Rhett aligned himself and slowly pushed his member inside. He was surprised to feel a bit of the studded texture himself, and the man on the bed moaned loudly at the incredible stimulation.

“Link, how’re you doing? I’m not hurting you, am I?”

“No, man! Just keep going!!!” Link shouted as fast as physically possible. Rhett was surprised just how badly Link seemed to want this. The whole relationship thing in general was a surprise for him. He was ecstatic to be experiencing it all for real, and not just in a sleepless dream in a cold, dark alley.

Rhett’s hips continued to move his hips in a slow rhythm, stimulating more and more with each deepening thrust. He started twisting and turning his hips into spiraling motions, making Link’s head spin like mad. Both men were grunting, moaning, and gasping like crazy, turning their love-making into a luscious, guttural symphony.

Their tempo accelerated, but Rhett still couldn’t get enough. His gaze was fixed on his lover below him, completely sprawled all over the mattress, head lolled back, mouth agape, and eyes pressed shut in pure ecstasy. His eyes traveled further down Link’s lithe body to find Link’s ignored hardness throbbing and leaking precum. Rhett had an idea he wanted to attempt, and before Link even knew it, the blonde’s mouth found its way to the head of Link’s erection.

The brunet popped his eyes open at the sudden warmth and wetness on the tip of his groin, and couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Rhett continued thrusting himself into his lover, bobbing his head to the offbeat of the tempo of his hips. He took in as much of Link as he could, and all the stimulation overwhelmed the smaller man’s senses. Incoherent babbles and grunts were all that emitted from the brunet’s mouth, with the occasion of his lover’s name whenever he hit his weak spot.

Rhett finished first, riding out his climax with a few more thrusts until Link joined in. Their hot, panting breaths came together in harmony. Once he was calm enough, the blonde removed himself from his partner, unrolling and tossing the used condom in the trash bin beside the dresser.

When he turned back to the bed, he gazed hazily at his spent boyfriend, teetering over the edge of consciousness with only an expression of complete bliss shining upon his exhausted face.

“Hey, Link,” Rhett purred. His voice went to that softer, higher-pitched, comforting tone. Link’s smile grew at the sound of it as the other’s hand caressed his face. The only noise he was able to make was a quiet hum as his dark eyes met with Rhett’s. The blonde brought his face closer to Link’s, and kissed him gingerly before getting a towel from the closet. After he cleaned up his partner’s chest, he laid down on the bed beside him. The smaller of the two wrapped his arms around the other, pressing his face into Rhett’s warm chest. “Oh, man,” Rhett started, “I just thought of a good euphemism for the…” Rhett chuckled as he realized that Link had already passed out. His mouth hung open and his breathing was steady and deep. The blonde squeezed his partner tight and planted a sweet little kiss on his lover’s forehead.

He fell asleep with the biggest smile he’d had in a long time.


	13. Chapter 13

Months have passed. The days have gotten warmer and the snow had melted away. School was out for summer vacation, so Link was off work until September. So was Rhett for that matter. The school had pulled some strings to give Rhett a job as Link’s assistant, since he was doing such a good job at keeping the kids from getting unruly, and he was very helpful in teaching the little tykes on their tone in the more intermediate classes.

The late spring started out with long, wonderful days where the two would enjoy each other’s company, cuddling under the warm, glowing sun, splashing each other silly at the beach, and sharing ice cream until one of them got brain freeze. As the days moved on, their dynamic seemed to fade a bit, to the point where Rhett would be absent for half the day, leaving Link alone at home until sunset. He didn’t know where his blonde partner would run off to, or even what he was doing. He’d never really talk about it whenever it was brought up. Link grew more and more uncomfortable every time he watched his boyfriend leave the house with his guitar strapped to his back. His anxiety would rise until he heard that baritone voice greet him as he walked through the door. Every day, his stress consumed him further, fearing that one day he might not return. He was getting closer and closer to the edge of a mental breakdown.

It was already getting late on that first day of June, and Rhett was usually home by now. It was also Link’s birthday on top of everything… and he was crushed at the idea of spending it with the one he loved the most. Link was reading a book for seemingly the millionth time when his mind dwelled on his missing boyfriend yet again.

“Two weeks is long enough,” the brunet huffed, slamming his book on the sofa cushion next to him. “Where could he have gone with that guitar anyway?” It didn’t take him long to come to a conclusion. He quickly slipped on his sneakers before marching out the front door, locking it on his way out.

He arrived at the park in record time. The sunset painted the atmosphere with deep hues of pink and red, and the park was absolutely bustling. Link stormed through the crowd until he heard the all-too-familiar sound of Rhett’s old guitar. The soft melody brought the warmth back to his heart that he had missed these past few weeks. The melodic siren call pulled Link through the park until he reached a huge crowd around that oak tree where he first met Rhett that winter. The confused brunet shoved his way through the crowd until he heard something that made his ears perk up and his nerves tingle rampantly throughout his body. He recognized the baritone voice, but couldn’t make out what was being said… or… sung… for that matter.

Once he finally made it to the front of the crowd, he could understand the lyrics a lot better. Link watched in awe and confusion as he listened to his boyfriend’s soothing voice hitting perfect notes as he strummed away at his beautiful guitar. He had heard him scat and hum in the shower many times before, but never had he sung actual lyrics. The fact that Rhett was even doing this in front of a crowd completely baffled the spectacled man. In all his attempts to get Rhett to sing with him while they listened to the radio or had a jam session, he had never been successful… yet here he was, singing his heart out in front of all these strangers. He felt a little hurt at this, but he was compelled to keep listening to the enchanting voice. The words that flowed out of his mouth sent a shock of nerves tingling in waves all the way down Link’s body, leaving goose bumps in their chilled tracks. Heat rose rapidly to his flabbergasted expression as the lyrics sunk into his brain.

“I love the color of your hair,  
How you’re always one to share.  
You gave me more than anyone would.  
I never ‘magined life could be this good.  
You’re the reason I’m awake at night.  
In the dark you’re my only light.  
I just wanna keep you close  
Because you are what I need the most.

I love the smile on your face.  
It brings me comfort like a warm embrace.  
I’d give it all to never let it die.  
Won’t even give you the chance to cry.  
I love how you make me laugh.  
You are more than just my better half.  
I would detonate my own guitar  
If it meant I’d have you in my arms…”

That last phrase sent another wave of chills down Link’s back, and his facial muscles tensed uncontrollably, as if trying to stifle any emotions from escaping his body. Rhett began humming as he transitioned into an instrumental solo. His fingers danced across the coiled strings effortlessly, brushing the bronze with his skilled, callused fingertips. Link sighed his stress away as his lover made the solo more complex, impressively playing two solo melodies simultaneously. The crowd gasped and cheered at such a feat, and Link was failing at his attempts to stay stone-faced. The solo intensified and accelerated slightly, building into a breathtaking crescendo before Rhett continued to sing – this time with an intense wave of passion that could swallow riptides at their highest peak.

“I love the way you make me smile.  
It makes me wanna hold you tight for a while.  
I don’t think I could ever let go,  
‘Cause there’s something that I want you to know!”

The beautiful giant held out that last syllable as he left his last strum of the phrase sustaining into a decrescendo. The crowd cheered at the impressive high note he had nailed, anticipating the final phrase. Link subconsciously leaned closer with his eyes wide and moistening quickly. He hadn’t realized he began holding his breath as he impatiently awaited the last few lines. After a teasing beat of silence, Rhett soon continued strumming. His melody became soft and delicate, and his voice mimicked its smooth legato flair elegantly and flawlessly.

“I have known from the start  
You hold a special place in my heart.  
It’s the way you make me feel.  
I think I love you, Link Neal.”

As Rhett strummed his final sustaining chord, Link’s eyes could no longer hold the tears that were welling up inside of him. He swallowed a sharp inhale and held that in along with the oxygen he was holding before. Rhett looked up, fixing his gaze on the mess of emotion before him in the front of the applauding crowd of strangers, whose faces were blurred and voices were muted in his perspective – only drinking in the priceless sight of the love of his life completely drenched in his own tears. Rhett smiled with a heartwarming blush as he realized his plan had been working. He took a step closer to his beloved, holding his hand out to the waterfall of mixed emotions. The glimmering setting sun cast a beautiful rosy glow on the taller man’s smile, beckoning for the brunet to come forward.

Link’s heart skipped a beat or two as he stared into the palm of that large hand reaching out for him. The people behind Link backed away with gleeful gasps as they realized just to whom the musician was directing his passion. The brunet attempted to dry his eyes before reaching for Rhett with a shaky hand. Rhett gently pulled his partner towards the tree with him. The crowd emits a wave of giddy whispers, with some of them still holding their phones up recording the occurrence.

In the center of the clearing, Rhett slipped the guitar strap off his torso, laying the instrument down against the tree behind him. His shimmering, jade eyes made contact with the pair of sapphire pools that continued springing leaks. Link wiped his face dry with the backs of his hands in the attempt to compose himself in front of all these people. However, the tears came streaming down again once his gaze met Rhett’s beaming expression.

“What…? What is this?” Link sniffled, not taking his eyes off the taller man for even a fraction of a second. The blonde lifted the other’s hands to his face, giving them a gentle kiss before taking a deep breath in preparation.

“Link…” Rhett started with a voice as smooth as silk. His hands shook a bit as his face adopted a redder hue. “For months, you have been my idol… my companion… my muse.” Link’s smile grew wider as he listened intently to the sweet words pouring out from his lover’s smiling lips. “You opened your life to me… and invited me with open arms when I thought I was done for. You cared for me when I couldn’t even care for myself. You showed me love… and compassion… when it started to seem like something that only existed in fairy tales.” The bashful giant took another deep breath to boost his confidence. His hands, however, would not stop shaking as they held the slightly smaller ones in his clammy palms. Link’s eyes seemed to shine even bluer as his tears continued their endless streaming. He slowly stroked the backs of Link’s hands with his thumbs as he resumed his speech. “I… I know I’ve probably worn you out saying this all the time… but truly, I can’t thank you enough for being such an important aspect of my life. No… for becoming my life.”

“Rhett… I –”

“Link…” Rhett’s voice cracked as he gave Link’s hands one more kiss. “I have always loved you with all my heart… more than anything else in the world. I couldn’t ask for a better partner… a better lover… a better friend… So, Link?” With that, Rhett began lowering himself until he knelt upon the sun-kissed grass, hoisted up by a single knee. For once, the shorter man had the liberty to see the taller of them from a higher angle, and the sight was too much for his already overwhelmed brain to handle. Link immediately retracted one of his hands to cover his mouth. The spectators were hardly able to contain themselves. Squeals and whispers of excitement rose from the antsy crowd. Rhett reached into his back pocket and revealed a tiny, black, velvet box. He let go of the brunet’s hand to open it. Link’s heart kept beating faster, and his breathing accelerated immensely.

Rhett’s last four words seemed to ring in slow motion.

“Will you marry me?”

Tears flowed down even harder, soaking Link’s face like there was no tomorrow. He was sure his heart was going to explode from his chest. The spectators shrieked and squealed loudly at the proposal before them. The brunet’s lips quivered as his mouth opened in an astounded jitter.

“I – I knew something was up… But, oh my gosh, I was not expecting this!!!” The smaller man cried before he withdrew his composure and threw himself onto the man below him, enveloping Rhett in an unyielding embrace. “Oh, Rhett… Of course I will, you big lug! I love you!” Rhett squeezes his partner impossibly tighter, and the crowd squeals, cheers, and applauds for the newly betrothed couple. The two pressed their foreheads together as Link fumbled with the soft, velvety box in his clumsy, sweaty hands. He gazed upon the shimmering band as it reflected the magnificent rosy hues of the evening sky. “Gosh, Rhett… How in the world were you able to afford this?!”

“I’ve been performing that song for weeks now, collecting tips from anyone who would listen. A lot of them knew what this was for, and wanted to help. Every day, more people would show up, and they’d leave bigger tips every time. I earned enough for the ring just in time for your birthday, so I figured it would be the perfect birthday surprise.” Link giggled, slipping the ring onto his finger. He took a moment to smile brightly at it, and the adoring gaze never left him for a second.

“It is,” Link cried, enveloping Rhett into another bear hug. He nuzzled against the side of the blonde’s head until his mouth reached his ear. “You’ve become so brave since that cold, winter evening…” Link whispered. He planted a chaste kiss on Rhett’s warm, glowing cheeks. “I’m so proud of you.”

“For you, my fears are worth fighting for,” Rhett whispered through a strained breath. A single tear trailed down his smiling face.

END


End file.
